Today's Headlines - 28 July 2023
Kargil Vijay Diwas
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
Leaders across India’s political spectrum paid their tributes to India’s armed forces and the fallen martyrs on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. The Kargil war was imposed on India. At that time, India had tried to solve the issues with Pakistan through talks. During Operation Vijay, the Indian Army sent a message not only to Pakistan but to the whole world that when it comes to our national interests, our Army will not back down at any cost.
The Kargil War
The Kargil War officially ended on 26 July 1999, with the eviction of the last remaining Pakistani troops and infiltrators from positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC).
The conflict was triggered when infiltrators from Pakistan crossed the LoC and occupied high positions in Ladakh’s Kargil district.
The infiltrators were initially thought to be jihadis. But over the first few weeks, as the sheer scale of the invasion came to light, the role of the Pakistani state became undeniable.
Between mid-May and July, the Indian forces slowly recaptured critical positions from the Pakistanis, in the face of heavy casualties and numerous strategic and logistic difficulties, culminating with the Army announcing the complete withdrawal of all Pakistani regular and irregular troops from Kargil on 26 July 2023.
Indian casualties at the end of the War stood at 527 dead, 1,363 wounded and 1 PoW (Fl Lt K Nachiketa, whose MiG-27 was shot down during a strike operation).
Challenging conditions
The Kargil War posed multiple challenges to the Indian armed forces. On one hand, were the enemy infiltrators, well armed and supported by non-stop shelling by Pakistan artillery from across the border. On the other, were the conditions of Kargil itself.
Kargil is located at the northern edge of the LoC some 200 km northeast of Srinagar and 230 km west of Leh.
While the town of Kargil is itself at an altitude of 2,676 m (8,780 ft), Dras lies at a height of 3,300 m (10,800 ft) and the surrounding peaks rise to altitudes of 4,800 m (16,000 ft) to 5,500 m (18,000 ft).
These are extremely high altitudes, which cause severe physiological effects on the human body while also posing logistical and strategic challenges.
How the Army conquered Kargil’s conditions
The initial stages of the War taught some valuable lessons, as both the Army and the Air Force discovered that it was unprepared for such high-altitude combat at this scale.
Many soldiers suffered from altitude sickness which event caused a few casualties. The lack of equipment for fighting in such cold weather was another challenge.
On the other hand, the terrain and Pakistan’s constant shelling on the crucial NH 1A caused major logistical challenges.
Eventually, the Army modified its methods to overcome these challenges. Units initiated acclimatisation and training programs to better prepare the soldiers for the conditions.
Better cold-weather equipment was procured (though the Army remained lacking in this regard throughout the War).
Techniques for high-altitude assault were further honed. Instead of daytime frontal attacks, assaults increasingly featured small groups scaling near-vertical terrain.
#upsc #news #todayheadline #kargil #vijaydiwas #polity #pakistan #ladakh #indian #forces #loc #physiological #strategic #army #war #logistical #equipment
Kargil Vijay Diwas
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
Leaders across India’s political spectrum paid their tributes to India’s armed forces and the fallen martyrs on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. The Kargil war was imposed on India. At that time, India had tried to solve the issues with Pakistan through talks. During Operation Vijay, the Indian Army sent a message not only to Pakistan but to the whole world that when it comes to our national interests, our Army will not back down at any cost.
The Kargil War
The Kargil War officially ended on 26 July 1999, with the eviction of the last remaining Pakistani troops and infiltrators from positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC).
The conflict was triggered when infiltrators from Pakistan crossed the LoC and occupied high positions in Ladakh’s Kargil district.
The infiltrators were initially thought to be jihadis. But over the first few weeks, as the sheer scale of the invasion came to light, the role of the Pakistani state became undeniable.
Between mid-May and July, the Indian forces slowly recaptured critical positions from the Pakistanis, in the face of heavy casualties and numerous strategic and logistic difficulties, culminating with the Army announcing the complete withdrawal of all Pakistani regular and irregular troops from Kargil on 26 July 2023.
Indian casualties at the end of the War stood at 527 dead, 1,363 wounded and 1 PoW (Fl Lt K Nachiketa, whose MiG-27 was shot down during a strike operation).
Challenging conditions
The Kargil War posed multiple challenges to the Indian armed forces. On one hand, were the enemy infiltrators, well armed and supported by non-stop shelling by Pakistan artillery from across the border. On the other, were the conditions of Kargil itself.
Kargil is located at the northern edge of the LoC some 200 km northeast of Srinagar and 230 km west of Leh.
While the town of Kargil is itself at an altitude of 2,676 m (8,780 ft), Dras lies at a height of 3,300 m (10,800 ft) and the surrounding peaks rise to altitudes of 4,800 m (16,000 ft) to 5,500 m (18,000 ft).
These are extremely high altitudes, which cause severe physiological effects on the human body while also posing logistical and strategic challenges.
How the Army conquered Kargil’s conditions
The initial stages of the War taught some valuable lessons, as both the Army and the Air Force discovered that it was unprepared for such high-altitude combat at this scale.
Many soldiers suffered from altitude sickness which event caused a few casualties. The lack of equipment for fighting in such cold weather was another challenge.
On the other hand, the terrain and Pakistan’s constant shelling on the crucial NH 1A caused major logistical challenges.
Eventually, the Army modified its methods to overcome these challenges. Units initiated acclimatisation and training programs to better prepare the soldiers for the conditions.
Better cold-weather equipment was procured (though the Army remained lacking in this regard throughout the War).
Techniques for high-altitude assault were further honed. Instead of daytime frontal attacks, assaults increasingly featured small groups scaling near-vertical terrain.
#upsc #news #todayheadline #kargil #vijaydiwas #polity #pakistan #ladakh #indian #forces #loc #physiological #strategic #army #war #logistical #equipment