India celebrates Kargil Vijay Diwas each year on July 26 since 1999 to commemorate the victory of Operation Vijay. This remains one of the most significant and famous operations carried out by the Indian Army to recapture the Indian territories from Pakistani intruders in the Kargil-Drass sector.
The ever-brave Kargil War took place between May 3 and July 26, 1999, in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LOC).
Let us know few facts about the great victory.
- The Kargil war was fought between India and Pakistan in Kargil, Ladakh which was initially Baltistan district, separated by the LoC after the first Kashmir war.
- India launched ‘Operation Vijay’ to clear the Kargil sector of infiltration by Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants.
- Kargil was the first war between India and Pakistan after the one in 1971, the year in which East Pakistan was declared as Bangladesh, a separate country.
- During the Kargil war, India was ruled by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government.
- The war took place despite the Shimla Agreement that stated that no armed conflict shall take place on the said boundary.
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- As India witnessed television grabs of its army men in Kargil fighting Pakistan, ‘Operation Vijay‘ was termed successful on this day 22 years ago when India won. While PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared the operation successful on July 14, the operation was officially closed on July 26, 1999.
- Safed Sagar, the Indian Air Force’s operation was a major part of the Kargil war. It used air power at the height of 32,000 feet for the first time in Indian history. From identifying the Pakistani troops and Mujahideens to interdiction, all the actions were performed well by the pilots and engineers within just one week of training.
- Kargil is one of the most recent and infamous examples of high-altitude warfare. Such wars are considered dangerous due to the rough terrain and natural habitat.
- It was one of the handful instances when war was fought between two nuclear powered countries.
- India lost more than 500 military men on the Kargil territory and Pakistan claimed that more than 3000 of their soldiers, mujahideens and infiltrates died.
- Built by the Indian army, the Kargil War memorial wall in Dras has inscriptions of all the Indian soldiers who passed away. The Memorial also has a museum with documents, recordings and pictures of the Indian soldiers who served at Kargil.
Our salute to all who sacrificed their lives for the safety of the nation. Your valor will keep inspiring us and the generations to come.