Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth on Thursday, 11 September 2026, flagged in and personally interacted with the Corps of Signals mountaineering team following their extraordinary achievement of summiting six high-altitude peaks across Ladakh in a single expedition. The Indian Army's Additional Directorate General of Public Information announced the ceremony, describing the feat as a reflection of 'unwavering pursuit of excellence and the spirit of adventure in the Indian Army.'

Six Summits, One Mission

The team's expedition was split across two mountaineering campaigns. In the first phase, the Corps of Signals team conquered three peaks in just sixteen days: Mt Kiagar Ri (6,100 m) on 13 August, Mt Mentok Kangri (6,250 m) on 24 August, and Mt Chamser Kangri (6,622 m) on 29 August.

In the second phase, the team took on Ladakh's Nun-Kun mountain range, scaling three more peaks amid severe high-altitude hardships including hostile weather, crevassed glaciers, and steep snow-covered slopes. These summits were Mount Nun (7,135 m) on 31 August, Mount Kun (7,077 m) on 15 August, and Mount Delta-41 (5,908 m) on 26 August.

Technical Challenges on Each Peak

Each summit posed distinct technical demands. Mount Nun, at 7,135 m, is characterised by steep ice walls, heavily crevassed glaciers, and sustained slopes of 45 to 55 degrees on its upper sections. The standard approach follows the West Ridge route, with climbers ascending from the Shafat Glacier base camp at approximately 4,400 m through three progressive high camps at roughly 5,500 m, 6,100 m, and 6,400 m, before a final midnight summit push to manage the effects of extreme altitude.

Mount Kun, while marginally less steep overall, features a technically demanding crux between Camp 1 and Camp 2, where climbers must scale vertical mixed rock, snow, and ice walls at angles of up to 50 degrees, aided by fixed ropes and jumar ascenders. After negotiating this section, climbers must cross a 3-kilometre-wide snow plateau that separates Nun and Kun along the Northeast Ridge, before establishing a final high camp at the base of the summit pyramid.

What This Signals About the Indian Army

The achievement is notable not just for the altitude involved, but for the speed and volume — six peaks across two campaigns in under three weeks, by personnel from the Corps of Signals, a technical branch not primarily associated with high-altitude mountaineering. This comes amid sustained Indian Army focus on building operational readiness and physical resilience in the Ladakh theatre, a region that has remained a priority zone since the 2020 Galwan clash.

Army mountaineering expeditions in Ladakh also serve a dual purpose: they build acclimatisation capability among troops deployed at extreme altitudes, while reinforcing India's physical presence in strategically sensitive terrain. General Seth's personal interaction with the team underscores the institutional importance the Army attaches to such missions.

Recognition and Ceremony

The flag-in ceremony was conducted at the conclusion of the expedition, with General Dhiraj Seth meeting the team members directly. The announcement was made through the Army's official handle, citing the expedition as demonstrating 'infinite resolve' and the relentless pursuit of excellence. The ceremony marks a formal military recognition of the team's accomplishment before the unit returns to regular duties.