The Kargil War began in early 1999 when Pakistani troops infiltrated the Line of Control (LoC) and occupied Indian territory in the Kargil district, now part of the western Union Territory of Ladakh. The infiltration was codenamed “Operation Badr” by the Pakistani military, which aimed to sever the link between Kashmir and Ladakh and cause Indian forces to withdraw from the Siachen Glacier, thus forcing India to negotiate a settlement of the broader Kashmir dispute. India responded by launching a major military and diplomatic offensive to vacate the Pakistani infiltrators.
During the 1990s, tensions and conflicts arose due to separatist activities in Kashmir and the nuclear tests conducted by both countries in 1998, leading to an increasingly belligerent atmosphere. To defuse the situation, both countries signed the Lahore Declaration in February 1999, promising a peaceful and bilateral solution to the Kashmir conflict by affirming the principles of the United Nations Charter. However, this effort failed as the Kargil War broke out a few months later.
The War brought a critical military, diplomatic and political fallout in Pakistan marked by an internal military coup in October 1999. There was a crucial shift in the diplomatic ties between India, Pakistan and the United States, thereby changing the political relations of the countries in South Asia. The then-American President of the United States, Bill Clinton called for a diplomatic engagement with the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif to withdraw its forces and thereby favouring India which strengthened the diplomatic ties between India and the US.
Both India and Pakistan consider the Kashmir Dispute as a bilateral matter that cannot be considered under the ambit of International Law. For instance, the Charter of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC), a regional organisation in South Asia, prohibits providing a dialogue between parties on issues arising from bilateral disputes. Later, in February 2021, both nations agreed to adhere to all agreements and observe a ceasefire along the LoC.
In India, the codename for the Indian military operation was Operation Vijay. The Indian Air Force joined hands with the Indian Army to drive out the Pakistan Army and paramilitary troops from the Indian positions along the LoC, in what was designated as Operation Safed Sagar. The Indian Army, later supported by the Indian Air Force, recaptured most of the positions on the Indian side of the LoC. After facing international diplomatic opposition, Pakistan withdrew its forces from all remaining Indian positions along the LoC.
The Kargil War is a recent example of high-altitude warfare in mountainous terrain, posing significant logistical challenges for the combatting sides. This day is observed to mark India’s victory in the Kargil War and to honour the valour of the Indian Armed Forces who were part of Operation Vijay.
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