Col B S Nagial (Retd)
” Military genius is a harmonious blending of forces.” Clausewitz, On War
Kargil War was a limited war and the first of its kind after India and Pakistan acquired nuclear weapons capabilities. Kargil Vijay Diwas is commemorated on 26 July every year in India to celebrate victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War. On this day, Pakistani forces were driven out of the posts occupied by them in Kargil district, Ladakh in1999. Initially, Pakistan denied its involvement in this intrusion. However, the documents recovered from the occupied posts and their soldiers who were taken as Prisoners Of War indicated the involvement of Pakistan. Later on, the statements of then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and then Chief of The Army Staff, Gen Parvez Musharraf, substantiated the entanglement of the Pakistan Army in this conflict.
The heroes of this conflict are remembered and honoured on this day all over the country. Prime Minister, on behalf of the citizens of India, pays homage to the fallen soldiers at Amar Jawan Jyoti, National War Memorial, New Delhi.
India and Pakistan signed the Lahore Declaration on 21 Feb 1999 and ratified it by the parliaments of both countries. This agreement recognised the nuclear dimension of the security environment of the two countries and their responsibilities for avoiding conflict between them. Further, this accord stressed India and Pakistan’s resolve to combat terrorism and mutual non-interference in internal affairs. Overall Lahore Declaration was an excellent document to build an environment of peace and security. But the irony is that despite signing such an agreement, still, Pakistan undertook this misadventure in Kargil.
This type of conflict has now become the norm in our strategic environment, wherein large-scale occupation of territories is ruled out, and our adversaries are ever ready to grab such opportunities. Doklam in 2017 and Galwan in 2020 are the best examples of the Chinese intrusions into the territories of India.
Kargil War was fought from 03 May to 26 July 1999. This war will always be reminisced about its strategic and tactical surprises, the self-restrained national strategy to keep the war localized in the Kargil-Siachen sector, military determination, planning, strategy, and junior leadership at the tactical level. Terrian was treacherous, and Pakistan had the upper hand as it was positioned on high ridges. ‘Operation Vijay’ was the Indian code name assigned to this war. It was a synergically blend of solid military, diplomatic and political leadership that helped to turn an adverse situation into a victory. Pakistani troops were forced to vacate the territories occupied by them. Militarily and diplomatically, this war was the biggest blunder for Pakistan.
During the winter season of 1998-99, the troops of Pakistan Armed Forces and Para Military Forces were trained secretly to sneak into Indian territories crossing the Line of Control. This nefarious design of infiltration was planned and executed under the codename ‘Operation Badr’. Pakistan aimed to cut off the link between Kashmir and Ladakh, force the Indian Armed Forces to withdraw from ‘Siachen Glacier’, boost the morale of their terrorists operating in J&K, and settle the Kashmir Issue on their terms and conditions. It is alleged that it might have been the retaliation to 1984 ‘Operation Meghdoot’ of the Indian Army, which launched to occupy the Siachen Glacier.
Many military scholars believe that the Pakistan military had already conceived and practised the alleged planning for this infiltration long before. In the 1980s and 1990s, plans were put up by the military to the political leadership of Pakistan but were rejected due to the fear of war escalation. Operation Badr’s blueprint was prepared when General Parvez Musharaf became Chief of The Army Staff of the Pakistan Army in Oct 1998. After the War, Nawaz Sharief, then Prime Minister of Pakistan, expressed his ignorance about the planning and execution of ‘Operation Badr’.
On 03 May 1999, local shepherds noticed Pakistan’s intrusion in the Batalik sector. On 05 May 1999, the Indian Army sent a patrol to conduct reconnaissance of the area. Pakistan Army captured five soldiers of this patrolling party and killed them mercilessly. On 09 May, Pakistan resorted to heavy artillery shellings and destroyed the ammunition dump in Kargil. On 10 May, defying the sanctity of LoC, multiple infiltrations were carried out by Pakistan Army in Dras, Kaksar and Muskoh sectors. Thus war was enforced upon India by Pakistan. The patrols sent by the units and Bde HQs to combat and oust these infiltrators made little or no progress. The fog of war cleared only by the end of May 1999. The intrusion by the Pakistan Army extended from Muskoh sector to Dras sector. They were holding numerous tactical hill features on this side of the LoC. It was a war-like situation as it happened in 1947-48 and 1965.
By mid of May 1999, the Indian Army moves its troops to the Kargil district. On 26 May, the Indian Air Force began airstrikes against the suspected positions of the Pakistan Army. Missiles fired by the enemy shot one MIG-21 and one MIG-27 and captured Ft Lt (Later Gp Capt) Kambanpati Nachiketa. On 09 June, IA launched significant ground operations in Kargil. Hostilities became so intense that India and Pakistan were on the brink of escalating the conflict to other areas. Intense fighting took place in all the sectors in this area. The pressure for war escalation mounted every day.
India decided to mobilise the Indian Armed Forces to pressurize Pakistan, and they were asked to be ready at short notice. But the capturing of Tololing height and point 5140 on 20 June 1999 turned the table against Pakistan. Escalation of War on other fronts subsided as the Indian Army tread on the trail of successes. After losing Jubar heights in the Batalik sector, Pakistan conceded the defeat and disengaged from all the positions. Military operations ended on 26 July 1999.
The victory was very costly. The official death toll on the Indian side was 527, while that on the Pakistani side was between 357 and 453. Indian Army had heavy casualties because the ratios of attacks almost went up to 9:1
The basic principles of war have remained the same for ages: how to get at the enemy, crush it and destroy its will to continue the war. Civilisation changes with time, and weapons change with change in civilisation. But the man behind the machine plays a crucial role in the war. The three most important factors which affect the war are terrain, character& mental robustness and arms & equipment. There is no other profession in which personality training is more important than the military. War is the conclusive validation for the troops and armies. There is no runner-up in war, only winners and losers. When battles are won, victory is achieved. The glory of victory in the Kargil War was only possible due to the bravery, devotion and dedication displayed by soldiers & young officers. There was a blazing demonstration of junior leadership and esprit de corps. Indeed, the Kargil War will be recalled in military history as a saga of unparalleled valour, fearlessness, passion and determination.
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