New Delhi: The blood was of brave martyrs, every son was a martyr, the wind was stormy on the Kargil mountain peak… Today is the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Today the whole country will celebrate the silver jubilee of Kargil Vijay Diwas. This day is dedicated to those brave soldiers of India who defeated Pakistani soldiers and hoisted the victory flag on the high peaks of Kargil. The Kargil war was the most difficult war for India. But the true brave sons of India made the high peaks of Kargil red with their blood and defeated Pakistan. On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, the brave martyrs of Kargil will be remembered from Delhi to Kanyakumari today.
'The sacrifice will not go in vain'
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Thursday said on the eve of the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas that the sacrifices made by soldiers in the 1999 war “will not go in vain”. He emphasised that all three wings of the armed forces are on the “threshold of a major reform”. The Chief of Defence Staff extended his greetings and best wishes to all personnel of the armed forces on the occasion of the completion of 25 years of the Kargil war, the Defence Ministry said in a statement. General Chauhan underlined that “all three wings of the armed forces are on the threshold of major reform from organisational, structural, ideological to cultural levels”.
'Armed forces must be prepared for war at all times'
He said, 'The underlying objective of these reforms is to improve combat capability and keep the armed forces combat-ready at all times. We must be ready to discard old practices and adopt new ones. The size and contours of the reforms should reflect the uniqueness of the Indian environment and challenges.' Recalling the valour of the Kargil heroes, Chauhan emphasised that 'the lessons learnt from the bloodshed should not be forgotten, mistakes should not be repeated and the right lessons should be strengthened.'
'Determined to build a developed India'
The CDS in his message also underlined that the supreme sacrifice made by the bravehearts in the Kargil war will not go in vain. “It will continue to inspire and encourage not only the soldiers but also the future generations of the youth of the country,” he said. Highlighting the uniqueness of the Kargil war, Gen Chauhan said that this war has lessons not only for the army but for all those involved in national security. On the occasion, the CDS assured the citizens that the armed forces are full of new energy as the nation is stepping into 'Amrit Kaal' and is determined to keep pace with the rest of the country to make India a 'Developed India'.
