New Delhi: On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday saluted the brave sons of the country who achieve the height of valour in the defence of the motherland.
Meanwhile, president Droupadi Murmu said in a tweet, "Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of extraordinary valor, valor, and determination of our armed forces. I bow to all the brave soldiers who laid down their lives to protect Mother India. All the countrymen will always be indebted to him and his family members".
Every year on July 26, Kargil Vijay Diwas marks India's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War. The Indian Army had ousted Pakistani forces from their occupied positions on the mountain tops of Northern Kargil District in Ladakh in 1999.
Initially, the Pakistani army denied its involvement in the war, claiming that it was caused by Kashmiri militant forces. However, documents left behind by casualties, the testimony of POWs, and statements by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Army Chief of Army Staff Pervez Musharraf showed the involvement of Pakistani paramilitary forces, led by General Ashraf Rashid.
"On Kargil Vijay Diwas, India salutes the bravery, courage and sacrifice of our armed forces. They fought valiantly in extremely harsh conditions to defend our motherland. Their act of valour & indomitable spirit will remain etched forever as a defining moment in India's history," the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted.
Ahead of the event, Singh had announced the setting up of "joint theatre commands" to enhance coordination among all three services of the country's armed forces.
He had also said, "We are committed to the resolution passed in the Parliament on PoK. PoK was, is, and shall always remain an integral part of India".