India fought many wars against its neighbors China and Pakistan. The Indo-Pak of 1947, the Indo-China War, the Bangladesh Liberation War, and The Kargil War. Our Indian Armed Forces did an excellent job and we were able to live freely just because of our Armed Forces. Did you know that Indian Armed Forces has Special Forces which are deployed when required? In this article, you will learn about the role of Para commandos in the Kargil War of 1999.
Role of Para Commandos
Para Commandos played a crucial role in the Kargil War. During the Kargil War of 1999, nine out of ten parachute regiments were deployed in the Kargil district. They were part of Operation Vijay which was the codename for the military operation in the Kargil. The 1 Para, 6 Para, and 7 Para Special forces entered the Mushkoh Valley. They cleared the Mushkoh valley intrusions single-handedly. The 5 Para Special Force was involved with the Batalik Sector. They showed great courage and tenacity and were awarded the COAS Citation.
10 PARA SF conducted the operation at Khalubar Ridge. 9 PARA SF conducted one of the toughest in the Kargil War. 9 Para (SF) saw combat at the heights of Zulu Ridge by passing through land mines and clearing them.
Kargil War
Actually, after the nuclear tests of India and Pakistan, both countries signed the Lahore Declaration in February 1999. But the problem started when the Pakistani Armed Forces disguised themselves as Kashmiri militants and infiltrated the Indian territory. The infiltration was codenamed “Operation Badr”. Its aim was to sever the link between Kashmir and Ladakh and cause Indian forces to withdraw from the Siachen Glacier. Actually, they were forcing India to negotiate a settlement of the broader Kashmir dispute. Pakistan wanted to internationalize the Kashmir dispute which was against the Lahore Declaration so they believed that any tension would internationalize this Kashmir dispute.
Pakistani Lieutenant General Shahid Aziz, then head of the ISI analysis wing, has confirmed there were no mujahideen but only regular Pakistan Army soldiers who took part in the Kargil War. Pakistani intrusions took place in the heights of the lower Mushkoh Valley, along the Marpo La ridgeline in Dras, in Kaksar near Kargil, in the Batalik sector east of the Indus River, on the heights above the Chorbat La sector where the LOC turns North and in the Turtuk sector south of the Siachen area.
India launched Operation Vijay and Operation Meghdoot in order to flush out the Pakistani Troops and Militants from the Indian side of LoC. Because of the nature of the terrain, division and corps operations could not be mounted and the fighting was conducted mostly at the brigade or battalion level.
In this war, all three arms of the Indian Armed Forces– The Indian army, The Indian Air Force, and The Indian Navy participated.
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