Kargil Vijay Diwas 2023

Every year on July 26 we celebrate Kargil Vijay Diwas to honour the Indian soldiers who fought bravely in the Kargil War. This year we are celebrating the 24th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. 

The Kargil War was fought between India and Pakistan in 1999 at the mountain tops of Kargil district, Ladakh. After the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, there had been a long period of disturbance between India and Pakistan. In 1999, to maintain peace between the two nations, the Lahore Declaration was signed. Even though the Declaration was a way to ensure peace between India and Pakistan, some Pakistani Armed Forces were crossing the boundary and entering the Indian territory  (LOC). Their aim was to cause the Indian forces to withdraw from the Siachen Glacier by breaking the connections between Kashmir and Ladakh. 

In response to the Pakistani troops, the Indian government started Operation Vijay which comprised 200,000 Indian troops. This war came to be known as the Kargil War. It lasted for three months and ended on July 26, 1999, with India’s win. 527 Indian soldiers lost their lives in the war.

Every year to give tribute to the fallen soldiers, parades, memorial services and cultural events are organised across the country.