Kargil Vijay Diwas: Key facts about the Kargil conflict

The conflict also named as Operation Vijay lasted for 60 days and finally came to an end on 26 July 1999 with India regaining control of all territories occupied by the Pakistani forces.

Every year on July 26th, India celebrates Kargil Vijay Diwas to commemorate the Indian victory in the 1999 Kargil war and pays homage to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives to bring this glorious victory to the nation.

The Kargil war was fought between the armed forces of India and Pakistan between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and alongside the Line of Control (LOC), extending from Zoji La in the west to Turtok (Siachen Glacier) in the East.

The cause of the conflict was the continuous infiltrations of the Pakistani troops on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LOC).

The operation named as Operation Vijay lasted for 60 days and finally ended on a successful note on 26 July 1999 with India regaining control of all territories occupied by the Pakistani forces.

The government of India mobilized 2, 00,000 troops to carry out the operation. 527 soldiers from Indian Armed Forces sacrificed their lives and 1,363 were left wounded during this operation. The war brought mass destruction to both the countries.

#KargilVijayDiwas , named after the success of Operation Vijay. On 26 Jul 1999, India successfully took command of the high outposts of Kargil, which had been lost to Pakistani intruders. Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on 26 July every year in honour of the Kargil War Heroes. pic.twitter.com/uufWLRu4vZ

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) July 26, 2018

Operation Vijay was one of the toughest and longest running warfare campaigns of all times in India. Indian Army soldiers fought valiantly in the battles of Dras, Kaksar, Batalik and Turtuk sectors at heights above 12,000 feet and on peaks as high as 18,000 feet.

The success of the operation Vijay was declared by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 14th July, but the war officially came to an end on 26 July 1999. 

At the international level, Pakistan was highly criticized for instigating the war, as its forces violated the Line of Control. Pakistan also wanted to attract international attention by linking the incursion with the Kashmir issue but ended up unsuccessfully.

 

India will always remember with pride, the outstanding political leadership provided by Atal Ji during Operation Vijay. He led from the front, supported our armed forces and clearly articulated India’s stand at the world stage. #KargilVijayDiwas

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2018