India remembers its bravest as nation marks 26 years of Kargil triumph

India stood united in solemn reverence and national pride on July 26 as the country marked the 26th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, commemorating its decisive military victory over Pakistan in the summer of 1999.

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the tributes to the nation's fallen heroes, whose unmatched gallantry in the face of treacherous terrain, brutal weather, and hostile fire tilted the war in India's favor.

“This day reminds us of the unparalleled courage and valor of those brave sons of Mother India who laid down their lives to protect our nation’s pride,” Prime Minister Modi said in a message. “Their sacrifice will continue to inspire generations. Jai Hind!”

President Murmu hailed the occasion as a symbol of “extraordinary valour, courage and steadfast determination,” adding that the soldiers’ dedication to duty would forever be etched in the heart of the nation.

At the National War Memorial in Delhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid floral tributes alongside top military leadership, including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.

Speaking later, Singh called the 1999 conflict a “saga of sacrifice and victory,” lauding Operation Vijay as one of the most defining military triumphs in modern Indian history.

General Chauhan, in a poignant message, recounted the immense odds faced by Indian soldiers who climbed steep, icy cliffs under relentless enemy fire. Despite Pakistan’s tactical advantage — having fortified high-altitude peaks with regular troops disguised as insurgents — Indian forces prevailed with grit, leadership, and raw courage.

“The enemy’s deceit could not overpower the resolve of our troops,” said the CDS. “They scaled vertical heights, braved extreme altitudes, and reclaimed what was ours.”

General Chauhan further stressed that the legacy of Kargil remains ever-relevant in today’s geopolitical landscape, urging greater jointness, readiness, and courage across India’s armed forces. He referenced the recent success of Operation Sindoor as proof of India’s growing capabilities in integrated warfare.

“Our adversaries may test our resolve, but the spirit of Kargil stands as an eternal reminder — India will rise to defend its honour every single time,” he said.

Meanwhile, the emotionally charged heart of the day lay in Dras, Ladakh — home to the Kargil War Memorial. Families of the fallen gathered under overcast skies, many of them tearful yet proud, as they laid wreaths and garlands for sons, fathers, brothers, and husbands who never returned.

Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Kavinder Gupta and top Army commanders paid homage at the site, where rows of white marble slabs etched with names stand as silent testimony to the price of freedom.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, too, saluted the martyrs, calling their sacrifice “unfathomable and unforgettable.”

As part of the nationwide observance, the Integrated Defense Staff posted a message from the CDS saluting the “indomitable courage and supreme sacrifice” of India’s war heroes.

Observed every year on July 26, Kargil Vijay Diwas marks the conclusion of a bitter conflict that began in May 1999 when Pakistani soldiers and militants infiltrated into Indian territory. The Indian Army, through weeks of grueling mountain warfare, recaptured key positions in the Kargil sector, eventually pushing the intruders back beyond the Line of Control.

As the tricolour fluttered high over the nation’s war memorials, India not only remembered its brave but renewed its promise — to defend their legacy with resolve, unity, and unwavering patriotism.