In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Kargil Vijay Diwas brings to the fore “the heroic saga of those wonderful brave-hearts of India, who will always remain an inspiration for the countrymen”.
President Droupadi Murmu, in turn, tweeted that all countrymen remember the victory during the 1999 Kargil conflict achieved by the extraordinary valour of our armed forces. “On behalf of a grateful nation, I pay tribute and bow to the memory of the fighters who paved the way for victory by sacrificing their lives to protect the country. Their heroic stories will always inspire generations to come,” she said.
At the ceremony in Drass, which was attended by the chief of defence staff, the three service chiefs, gallantry medal winners, widows, families and others, Singh said no compromise will be made in protecting the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country.
“We have given a free hand to the armed forces to eliminate the nation’s enemies. India is a peace-loving nation which believes in its centuries-old values and is committed towards international laws. But to safeguard our interests, we will not hesitate in crossing the LoC,” he said.
“Earlier, the nation and the armed forces lacked the political will, which has now been provided by our government led by PM Modi. We stand firm with our forces,” he added.
‘Operation Vijay’, which was launched to evict Pakistani soldiers from the forbidding heights of Kargil during the 1999 conflict, displayed India’s grit and determination as it stood its ground in the face of adverse circumstances, he said, accusing Pakistan of “backstabbing” and imposing the conflict on India while the then Vajpayee government was trying to resolve all issues through diplomatic channels.
“Our greatness is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we fall. Despite the adversary having tactical military advantage during the war, our forces displayed unmatched bravery and skill to push them back and reclaim our land. With the victory, India sent a message to Pakistan and the world that our military will not back down at any cost if the nation’s interests are harmed,” he said.
Indian forces did not cross the LoC despite winning the Kargil conflict because India is a peace-loving nation and committed to international law. “But it does not mean that we could not cross the LoC. We could cross the LoC, we can cross the LoC and will cross the LoC in future if there is a need,” he said.
During the Kargil conflict, 527 Indian soldiers laid down their lives and 1,363 were injured while evicting the well-entrenched Pakistani intruders from the Kargil heights against all odds