(THE GIST OF PIB) Kargil Vijay Diwas

(JULY-2025)

On the 26th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas, the President and Prime Minister led the nation in paying tributes to the Kargil heroes.

Kargil Vijay Diwas, also known as Kargil Diwas, is celebrated annually on July 26 to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War.
The day celebrates the courage and sacrifice of Indian soldiers who valiantly defended the nation’s sovereignty.
The year 2025 marks the 26th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.

It was fought between India and Pakistan between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and along the Line of Control (LOC).

In an effort to ease these tensions, India and Pakistan signed the Lahore Declaration in February 1999, which aimed for a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir issue.
However, during the winter of 1998-1999, Pakistani forces secretly infiltrated the Drass and Batalik sectors of Kargil in the Ladakh region.
Their objective was to capture positions that would allow them to monitor and potentially control movements along the vital NH 1A highway.
Initially, the Indian military mistook these infiltrators for insurgents.
As the scale of the infiltration became apparent, India mobilized nearly 200,000 troops to counter the threat, leading to the onset of the Kargil War.
Operation Vijay: The Indian Army fought bravely and recaptured the famous ‘Tiger Hill’ and other important posts under ‘Operation Vijay’ by evicting the Pakistani troops in the 1999 Kargil War.
High Altitude Warfare: It was fought at extreme altitudes, with some of the battlegrounds reaching heights of over 18,000 feet.
Duration: It lasted for approximately three months.

The Indian Army employed heavy artillery, airpower, as well as major infantry operations during the Kargil War.
In a first, the Indian side used the Bofors FH-77B howitzers to shoot down enemy positions nested at the top of the mountains.
Israel provided their Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to India during the conflict.