Solar Tent Warms Indian Soldiers Without Fuel in Ladakh

Sonam Wangchuk and his team at the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh developed a solar-heated tent for the Indian Army to address the challenges of keeping soldiers warm at high altitudes in freezing temperatures. For years, the army relied on fuel-based heating in remote posts, facing risks of burns and carbon monoxide poisoning alongside logistical difficulties.

While the army already provides extreme cold weather clothing costing roughly 800 crore rupees annually, this did not address the need for warmth within shelters. Wangchuk’s tent utilizes solar heat absorption, water storage, and insulation to maintain a 15-degree Celsius temperature inside when the outside temperature drops to -14 degrees Celsius.

The tent is designed to be lightweight, under 30 kg per component, allowing soldiers to carry it to inaccessible locations. The prototype, tested at Chang-La pass, costs approximately 5 lakh rupees per tent and is assembled from 40 individual pieces. Building on a previous design for nomadic herders, this iteration aims to reduce reliance on fuel supply lines and offer a safer, more sustainable heating solution for troops stationed in harsh conditions.