Modi criticises Pakistan as he pays tribute to Indian soldiers killed in Kargil War

Hundreds died in 1999 conflict that raised fears of full-scale war between nuclear-armed nations

A screengrab of footage from Indian Prime Minister's Narendra Modi speech at the Kargil War Memorial in Dras. AFP

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused Pakistan of stoking instability in the Kashmir region, as he paid tribute to the hundreds of Indian soldiers killed in the Kargil War in 1999.

The conflict began when Pakistani forces captured territory close to the Line of Control, the de facto border between the areas of Kashmir controlled by India and Pakistan. The nuclear-armed neighbours each claim the Himalayan region in its entirety.

Kargil is part of the Ladakh region administered by India. The three-month conflict ended with a ceasefire on July 26, after more than 500 Indian troops had been killed and at least 1,300 wounded. It is estimated that between 400 and 4,000 Pakistanis were killed in the fighting.

On Friday, Mr Modi accused Pakistan of being behind continued unrest in the Kashmir region, where Indian forces have cracked down on militants.

"Pakistan has failed in all its nefarious attempts in the past. But Pakistan has not learnt anything from its history. It is trying to keep itself relevant with the help of terrorism and proxy war,” he said.

India observes Kargil Vijay Diwas, or Kargil Victory Day, on July 26 each year to pay tribute to the soldiers killed in the 1999 conflict.

“Today, this great land of Ladakh is witnessing the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Kargil Vijay Diwas tells us that the sacrifices made for the nation are immortal,” Mr Modi said after laying a wreath at a memorial in the town of Dras, in Ladakh.

“I remember how our army operated in the war in such high, rugged terrain. I bow to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation. We had not just won the war in Kargil but also introduced our truth, patience and amazing capabilities."

What was the Kargil War?

The conflict began after armed men occupied territory controlled by India. New Delhi said the men were Pakistani soldiers and Islamabad maintains they were Kashmiri militants.

The men crossed the Line of Control during the winter months with the aim of cutting off a motorway used by the Indian army to send supplies to Ladakh, including ammunition for troops posted along the borders with Pakistan and China.

Part of this frontier is the Siachen Glacier, which became known as the world’s highest battleground when India and Pakistan fought a conflict there in 1984.

The Kargil War came at a time of heightened tension between India and Pakistan, with both countries carrying out nuclear weapons tests in 1998.

New Delhi and Islamabad signed the Lahore Declaration in February 1999, an agreement that called for a peaceful resolution to their long-standing disputes, including the Kashmir issue. But the Kargil War derailed the peace initiative sparked fears of a full-scale war.

The US condemned Pakistan over the infiltration that led to the war. Bill Clinton, US President at the time, summoned Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Washington and asked him to pull his country's troops out of Kargil.

Pakistan's forces withdrew two months later on July 16. The conflict caused internal strife in Pakistan, with Mr Sharif blaming army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf for the operation. Gen Musharraf later led a coup that toppled Mr Sharif.

India-Pakistan ties frozen

Diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan have remained frozen since the war.

The countries came close to another conflict in 2019, when 40 members of India's Central Reserve Police Force were killed in a suicide bombing in the Pulwama district of Kashmir. India responded with air strikes against what it said was a training camp used by the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group, in the Balakot district of northern Pakistan.

New Delhi cracked down on armed groups in Kashmir after the bombing. But militant attacks in the region have started to increase, with at least 48 soldiers killed in the past 32 months.

On Friday, Mr Modi accused Pakistan of arming and training militants in the Kashmir region.

“Today, I am speaking from a place where the masters of terror can hear my voice directly," he said. "I want to tell these patrons of terrorism that their nefarious intentions will never succeed. Our soldiers will crush terrorism with full force and the enemy will be given a befitting reply."