Defence Minister says no talks with Islamabad ‘except PoK’
Dras/New Delhi: India on Sunday recalled the valour of the armed forces in the 1999 Kargil war with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh criticising Pakistan for making terrorism a “part of its state policy”, saying there will be no talks with the country other than on PoK.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief ministers and leaders across the political spectrum paid tributes to the soldiers who laid down their lives during the war.
Events were organised across states and at the Kargil War Memorial in Dras, Ladakh to mark the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas.
President Murmu paid tribute to the valiant warriors and said the nation shall forever remain indebted to them. “Their unparalleled valour, unwavering resolve, and unparalleled patriotism stand as exemplary models of our army’s glorious traditions,” she said in a post on X in Hindi.
Prime Minister Modi said the valour of India’s brave soldiers in the face of most formidable conditions will forever remain a source of national pride.
“Their valour in the face of the most formidable conditions will forever remain a source of national pride. Their unwavering patriotism and devotion to duty will continue to inspire generations,” he said in a post on X.
The prime minister said there are certain days in people’s lives that do not require a calendar to be remembered.
“Today, the 26th of July, is one such date. Today is ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’. This day fills us with pride. This day reminds us of the extraordinary courage of our brave soldiers,” he said while addressing his monthly radio broadcast ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
Paying glowing tributes to the fallen soldiers, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of the indomitable valour and extraordinary heroism of the Indian Army.
“In 1999, despite the harsh conditions and the enemy’s positions on high-altitude fronts on the formidable snowy peaks of the Himalayas, our brave soldiers brought the enemy to its knees through ‘Operation Vijay’,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.
Defence Minister Singh slammed Pakistan and said there will be no talks with the country other than on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which is a “part of India illegally occupied” by it.
In his address at the Kargil War Memorial in Dras, he also said that Operation Sindoor clearly demonstrated what will be the fate of those who attempt to threaten India with terrorism, asserting that the country can respond to any misadventure by Pakistan in a manner “beyond their imagination”.
Singh described India’s victory in the Kargil war as “a diamond studded in the crown of Bharat Mata”.
Recalling the Operation Sindoor conducted in May 2025 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, he said, “Any evil step towards the sovereignty and integrity of India will meet with the same fate.”
Sharpening his attack on the neighbouring country, Singh said at a time when India is designing ships, Pakistan is busy engaging in terror design.
Kargil Vijay Diwas commemorates the culmination of Operation Vijay, the name given to India’s military operation to reclaim the heights of Kargil after Pakistan’s infiltration, which culminated on this day in 1999.
Earlier, Singh, Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, and the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, paid tribute at the Kargil War Memorial, offering homage to the fallen heroes.
Governors and chief ministers of various states also paid tributes to the fallen soldiers on the occasion.
In a post on X, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Heartiest greetings to everyone on Kargil Vijay Diwas. This day is an immortal symbol of the valour, sacrifice and patriotism of our brave soldiers.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma offered homage to war heroes. “Some victories are measured in territory reclaimed. Kargil was measured in courage, sacrifice and love for the nation,” Sarma said on X.
Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagde said Kargil Vijay Diwas is not merely a reminder of a military victory but a symbol of the nation’s pride, unity and the supreme sacrifice of soldiers.
Addressing a programme in Jodhpur, Bagde said the 1999 conflict showcased the unmatched courage and commitment of Indian soldiers.
In Kerala, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Congress leaders K C Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala, and BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar paid tribute to the soldiers who died in the war.
Arlekar, in a Facebook post, said he salutes India’s armed forces on Kargil Vijay Diwas, “the historic day which fills every Indian with pride”.
Chennithala, in a Facebook post, recalled the words of late Captain Vikram Batra who died in the war — “Either we return with the tricolor, or wrapped in it…” — and said that the soldiers sacrificed everything for the motherland.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his Haryana counterpart Nayab Singh Saini also paid tributes to the soldiers.
Meanwhile, the family of Indian Army soldier Avnish Yadav who laid down his life in the Kargil war, claimed that several promises made by the authorities in recognition of his sacrifice are yet to be fulfilled.
Avnish Yadav’s parents are natives of Dalel Tola village in Sitabdiara on the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar border.
His mother, Somaro Devi, told PTI on Sunday that despite the passage of 26 years, promises made after her son’s sacrifice have not been honoured.
Neither has a statue of the martyr been installed in the village nor a government hospital or a primary school have been named after him, as was promised, she said.
His father Shivji Yadav, who retired from the CRPF, said Avnish joined the Army at the age of 18, and made the supreme sacrifice after neutralising 20 Pakistani soldiers.
While the Central government allotted a petrol pump to Avnish’s widow, other assurances made to the family and the village remain unfulfilled, he said.
PTI