New Delhi: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday paid tributes to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives defending the country's frontiers during the 1999 Kargil war.
On the 16th anniversary of Vijay Divas, the minister laid a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial to the Unknown Soldier at the India Gate here.
Besides others, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Navy chief Admiral R K Dhowan were also present on the occasion.
The Kargil War was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in Jammu and Kashmir's Kargil District and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LOC).
The conflict, which claimed the lives of more than 500 officers and soldiers, many of whom were posthumously given gallantry awards, is also referred to as Operation Vijay, which was the name of the Indian operation that cleared the Kargil sector.
The town of Kargil is located 205 km from Srinagar, and faces Pakistan's so-called Northern Areas across the Line of Control.
Several events are planned at army centres across the country to celebrate the Kargil victory and pay respect to the over 500 soldiers who were martyred in the Kargil war.
Suhag who had yesterday visited the Kargil War Memorial in Drass had said the armed forces will not let another Kargil-like conflict to take place.
Though the celebrations to mark the 16th anniversary of India's victory in the Kargil War, also called Vijay Diwas, began on July 20, the main functions are planned for today.
In the conflict, the Indian Army lost 490 officers, soldiers and jawans.
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