India celebrates the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas today. In 1999 on this day, the Kargil War or Kargil Conflict came to an end after the Indian soldiers successfully reclaimed mountain tops seized by Pakistan. It was also the last war when India and Pakistan were engaged in a full-blown armed conflict. Incidentally, it was also the first time both the countries engaged in armed conflict after becoming nuclear powers.
Sadly India lost more than 500 soldiers fighting for victory in the Kargil War that was forced by the Pakistan Army after crossing the Line of Control and seizing strategic mountain peaks.
Earlier when the intruders were detected it was thought that they were terrorists or militants. But as the Indian army fought with them, it became clear that the intruders who had seized the Indian mountain peaks were actually the Pakistan army who had crossed the LOC.
Military And Diplomatic Blitz Isolated Pakistan
Apart from fighting the Pakistan army on the battlefield, India also tackled the problem on diplomatic level thereby isolating Pakistan internationally. Pakistan tried to garner support from China and the West but was strictly told to withdraw its troops from Kargil. The then US President Bill Clinton forced Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif to sign a statement that said Pakistan would withdraw its troops from Kargil conflict zone unconditionally.
The Indian army recaptured all the Kargil peaks by July 26, 1999, thus bringing an end to the war. Although it was essentially a war by the Indian military, the troop also received big support from its other two arms of the air force and Indian Navy.
While the IAF darted bombs at the enemy sites offensively without crossing the LOC, the Indian Navy started patrolling the Arabian Sea aggressively and made plans to block Pakistani ports. This effort from Navy was so effective that the then Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, later on, revealed that if the war would have evolved on full-scale his country would have been left with fuel lasting for just six days.
By July 26 India recaptured all the peaks of Kargil from the intruders. Although it was not a full-blown war it was a war-like situation according to then Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Paid homage to martyred soldiers at the National War Memorial in New Delhi on the occasion of 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Their unwavering courage and supreme sacrifice ensured the safety and sanctity of our borders. pic.twitter.com/YLkDpz8iE3
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 26, 2019
the day to remember the sacrifices of INDIAN ARMY had shown in 1999 kargil war
Salute to indian soldiers#KargilVijayDiwas
Happy kargil Vijay Diwas to all Indian's #JaiHind ?????????????????? pic.twitter.com/BF5buB92Qf— Chiluka Vijayalaxmi (@ChilukaVijayal1) July 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/pmalviya3996/status/1154658979374497792
"ऐ मेरे वतन के लोगों, तुम खूब लगा लो नारा
ये शुभ दिन है हम सबका, लहरा लो तिरंगा प्यारा
पर मत भूलो सीमा पर, वीरों ने हैं प्राण गवाये
कुछ याद उन्हें भी कर लो, जो लौट के घर न आये।"कारगिल के शहीद जवानों को मेरा दिल से शत शत नमन। भारत माता की जय ?? #KargilVijayDiwas pic.twitter.com/kwWbv3hr0Q
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 26, 2019
I will never forget the sacrifices made by the martyrs of our Indian Army, the courage they showed in the Kargil war. Jai Hind! #KargilVijayDiwas ??⛰️ pic.twitter.com/aqzjN9vgn7
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) July 26, 2019
On Kargil Vijay Diwas I bow to every valiant soldier who fought for India till the very last breath. Their heroic sacrifices inspire us…..
अमर शहीदो को शत शत नमन #KargilVijayDiwas pic.twitter.com/viHCywHptz— Prajwal Busta (@PrajwalBusta) July 26, 2019
