'4,000 Pakistani soldiers killed': Kargil war - Pakistan's betrayal, India's victory | Indo-Pak war stories in pics - Part 1

It came as a shocking betrayal, having happened even as Indian and Pakistani prime ministers at the time - Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Nawaz Sharif - were moving closer to peace and normalisation of ties. The unprecedented high-altitude conflict lasted from May to July 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. It was triggered by infiltration from across the Line of Control (LoC) by militants and Pakistani soldiers, some of them disguised as militants.

The Pakistanis occupied high-altitude posts vacated by Indian forces during winter in the strategically important town of Kargil. Pakistan aimed to disrupt the Srinagar-Leh Highway (NH1A) and escalate tensions in Kashmir. In the first week of May, 1999, local shepherds reported suspicious infiltration activity to the Indian Army near Batalik. Initially thought to be Kashmiri militants, they were later found to be regular Pakistani soldiers and paramilitary forces.

Operation Vijay was India's multi-pronged offensive involving 40,000 troops to recapture the key peaks in the Drass, Kargil, and Batalik sectors. On May 26, 1999 the Indian Air Force joined the war effort with Operation Safed Sagar, deploying aircraft like MiG-21s, MiG-27s, and MiG-29s to provide air support at altitudes exceeding 16,000 feet. This was the first such high-altitude combat for IAF. As the war continued, Pakisan made nuclear threats, and in June, its foreign minister Sartaj Aziz visited New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart Jaswant Singh, but the war did not end.

On June 13, 1999 Indian army recaptured the Tololing Peak in the Drass sector overlooking NH1A, after intense fighting. On July 4, 1999, India recaptured Tiger Hill, further weakening Pakistani positions. Heavy artillery, including Bofors FH-77B howitzers, played a pivotal role in smoking out the intruders. On July 11, 1999 Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced a unilateral ceasefire and called for troop withdrawal. He made the decision following fierce international pressure, particularly from the US. But some of the army units resisted his call and continued to fight. Indian Army declared the definitive eviction of Pakistani forces from Indian territory, and ended the war on July 26, 1999, which is observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas.

The Kargil war failure was not a happy turn of events for the then Pakistani army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf. On October 12, 1999, he led a military coup against the Nawaz Sharif government, eventually becoming the dictator of Pakistan.

India estimated the Pakistani castualties to be as high as 4,000. As per Indian accounts, 527 Indian soldiers laid down their lives for the nation. Flight Lieutenant K Nachiketa, who was captured after his MiG-27 was shot down by Pakistan, was later released. Pakistan has not revealed the real casualty figure, partly because it also includes infiltrators. As late as 2010, it maintained that only 453 soldiers killed but Pakistani politicians like Nawaz Sharif said in later years that at least 4,000 Pakistani troops were killed.

India used small arms like the INSAS rifles, light machine guns and sniper rifles in the Kargil war. Artillery included the famous Bofors FH-77B 155mm howitzers, 120mm mortars, and multi-barrel rocket launchers. Approximately 250,000 shells, rockets, and bombs were used. India also used the T-72 tanks. The Indian Air Force flew the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29, and Mirage 2000 fighters for precision strikes, Mi-17 helicopters for troop transport and reconnaissance. Israel provided laser-guided missiles and UAVs for surveillance. India also used short-range surface-to-air missiles and rocket launchers for targeted strikes.

It came as a shocking betrayal, having happened even as Indian and Pakistani prime ministers at the time - Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Nawaz Sharif - were moving closer to peace and normalisation of ties. The unprecedented high-altitude conflict lasted from May to July 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. It was triggered by infiltration from across the Line of Control (LoC) by militants and Pakistani soldiers, some of them disguised as militants.

The Pakistanis occupied high-altitude posts vacated by Indian forces during winter in the strategically important town of Kargil. Pakistan aimed to disrupt the Srinagar-Leh Highway (NH1A) and escalate tensions in Kashmir. In the first week of May, 1999, local shepherds reported suspicious infiltration activity to the Indian Army near Batalik. Initially thought to be Kashmiri militants, they were later found to be regular Pakistani soldiers and paramilitary forces.

Operation Vijay was India's multi-pronged offensive involving 40,000 troops to recapture the key peaks in the Drass, Kargil, and Batalik sectors. On May 26, 1999 the Indian Air Force joined the war effort with Operation Safed Sagar, deploying aircraft like MiG-21s, MiG-27s, and MiG-29s to provide air support at altitudes exceeding 16,000 feet. This was the first such high-altitude combat for IAF. As the war continued, Pakisan made nuclear threats, and in June, its foreign minister Sartaj Aziz visited New Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart Jaswant Singh, but the war did not end.

On June 13, 1999 Indian army recaptured the Tololing Peak in the Drass sector overlooking NH1A, after intense fighting. On July 4, 1999, India recaptured Tiger Hill, further weakening Pakistani positions. Heavy artillery, including Bofors FH-77B howitzers, played a pivotal role in smoking out the intruders. On July 11, 1999 Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced a unilateral ceasefire and called for troop withdrawal. He made the decision following fierce international pressure, particularly from the US. But some of the army units resisted his call and continued to fight. Indian Army declared the definitive eviction of Pakistani forces from Indian territory, and ended the war on July 26, 1999, which is observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas.

The Kargil war failure was not a happy turn of events for the then Pakistani army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf. On October 12, 1999, he led a military coup against the Nawaz Sharif government, eventually becoming the dictator of Pakistan.

India estimated the Pakistani castualties to be as high as 4,000. As per Indian accounts, 527 Indian soldiers laid down their lives for the nation. Flight Lieutenant K Nachiketa, who was captured after his MiG-27 was shot down by Pakistan, was later released. Pakistan has not revealed the real casualty figure, partly because it also includes infiltrators. As late as 2010, it maintained that only 453 soldiers killed but Pakistani politicians like Nawaz Sharif said in later years that at least 4,000 Pakistani troops were killed.

India used small arms like the INSAS rifles, light machine guns and sniper rifles in the Kargil war. Artillery included the famous Bofors FH-77B 155mm howitzers, 120mm mortars, and multi-barrel rocket launchers. Approximately 250,000 shells, rockets, and bombs were used. India also used the T-72 tanks. The Indian Air Force flew the MiG-21, MiG-27, MiG-29, and Mirage 2000 fighters for precision strikes, Mi-17 helicopters for troop transport and reconnaissance. Israel provided laser-guided missiles and UAVs for surveillance. India also used short-range surface-to-air missiles and rocket launchers for targeted strikes.