Srinagar, April 8 -- In a historic move to de-clutter the ecologically fragile Himalayan frontiers, the Indian Army has launched a massive initiative to retrieve thousands of rusted iron jerry cans-some nearly 80 years old-scattered across the glaciers and mountains of Ladakh.

The project marks a shift from decades of air maintenance dependency to sustainable ground logistics. Since the 1962 conflict, remote posts along the Indo-China border remained inaccessible by road, forcing the military to airdrop essential food, kerosene, and fuel in iron containers. Over time, these containers accumulated into "tin wastelands," corroding in temperatures as low as -25degC and scarring the pristine landscape.

Logistics to legacy

The scale of this...