Kargil Vijay Diwas 2022: All you need to know about the 1999 Kargil War

Indian soldiers aim at their targets during shooting practice in Kargil. (Image credit: Reuters)

Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated to mark India's victory in the Kargil War  fought against intruders from Pakistan who had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) into Indian territory in late 1998.

By capturing Kashmir, Pakistan had hoped to sever the connection between Kashmir and Ladakh, forcing the Indian military to leave the Siachen Glacier. Had Pakistan been successful, India would have had to discuss a resolution to the larger Kashmir problem.

The Pakistani invaders had taken shelter in fortified defences overlooking the NH 1A in the Drass and Batalik Sectors of Kargil in the Ladakh region. The Kargil war began on May 8, 1999 and continued till the successful completion of Operation Vijay on July 26, 1999 when Indian soldiers recaptured the mountain heights that had been seized by the invading Pakistani forces.

The country lost more than 500 soldiers in the war.

To commemorate India's victory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in Hindi, "On this occasion, my salute to all the brave sons of the country who achieve the height of valour in the defence of the motherland. Jai Hind. Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of pride and glory of 'Maa Bharati'."

कारगिल विजय दिवस मां भारती की आन-बान और शान का प्रतीक है। इस अवसर पर मातृभूमि की रक्षा में पराक्रम की पराकाष्ठा करने वाले देश के सभी साहसी सपूतों को मेरा शत-शत नमन। जय हिंद! pic.twitter.com/wIHyTrNPMU

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— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2022

President Droupadi Murmu said that Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of extraordinary valour of the armed forces, and people will always be indebted to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives to protect Mother India.

Read more: India pays tributes to its war heroes on 23rd Kargil Vijay Diwas