IANS/Jammu
Indian Army troops across Jammu and Kashmir, operating under the Northern Command, paid homage yesterday to the 527 soldiers who laid down their lives during the 74-day Kargil war in 1999 that saw the eviction of Pakistani troops from the Indian territory they had occupied in the cold desert region of Ladakh.
Defence Minister A K Antony, Indian Army Chief General V K Singh (front, second left), vice chief of Navy D K Deewan (front second right) and Indian Air Force chief Air Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik (front right) pay tribute to commemorate twelve years since the Kargil war at India Gate in New Delhi yesterday
July 26 is celebrated as ‘Vijay Divas’ (Victory Day) by the Indian Army, as it was on this day 12 that the last of the Pakistani intruders was pushed back across the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
Northern Command chief Lt Gen. K T Parnaik led officers and soldiers in paying homage at the main function at the Command headquarters at Udhampur, 66km from here. He laid a wreath at the war memorial and was joined by officers and soldiers in doing so.
Similar tributes were paid across the state, at the headquarters of the 14 Corps in Leh, the 15 Corps at Srinagar and the 16 Corps at Nagrota, near Jammu and other Indian Army units in the state, according to a defence ministry spokesperson.
The Indian Army detected the presence of the intruders in May 1999 and thereafter, a military operation codenamed “Operation Vijay” or Operation Victory was launched.
The nation celebrates July 26 as Kargil Vijay Divas to pay glowing tributes to its 527 martyrs and brave soldiers who made Pakistan bite dust on the battlefield.
“The memory of the war and sacrifices of the Indian soldiers, combined with daring raids on enemy positions to flush out the infiltrators from our sacred motherland is still fresh in the minds of the people and continues to inspire the coming generations,” the spokesman said.
“The Indian Army, along with Indian Air Force, showing exemplary courage and bravery, turned the tables on Pakistan and won the war in Kargil after 74 days of continuous fighting, against all odds at very high altitudes,” the spokesman added.
“Those who fell for the cause of the country shall always be honoured because they gave their today for our tomorrows. The nation will always remember hundreds of martyrs for their unparalleled feats of conspicuous personal gallantry, exemplary leadership and selfless devotion to duty in the service of the motherland,” the spokesman said.
‘Violent response’ in case of N-attack
Even as India and Pakistan began talks on a warm note here, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief yesterday warned of an “absolutely violent, hard and harsh” response in case of a nuclear attack.
IAF chief P V Naik, who is India’s most senior serving military officer, made the statement after Pakistan tested its Nasr nuclear-capable tactical missile.
Naik said in his farewell press conference here that India’s nuclear doctrine, propounded at the beginning of this century, clearly calls for a “heavy” response. Naik retires July 31.
Nasr, a short-range surface-to-surface missile, as described by some strategic affairs experts as a “game changer” in case of an India-Pakistan conflict.
“Our nuclear policy of no-first-use... it says no use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states. It also talks about very heavy response in case of a nuclear attack on our soil... retaliatory and very hard and harsh response... Our policy talks about that.
“Tactical or strategic, it (Nasr) is a nuclear weapon. So obviously, our response will be absolutely violent, as per our existing policy. So I do not think it is a great game changer,” Naik said in response to a question on the Pakistani missile.
On reports of Pakistan amassing a nuclear arsenal and gaining an upper hand vis-a-vis India in a few years, Naik said he was “not worried” over such claims. He did not explain why. Naik will be succeeded by Air Marshal N A K Browne, in the rank of air chief marshal, currently the IAF vice chief.