The story
In the spring of 1999 soldiers of the Pakistan army, together with Kashmiri and other militants, moved across the Line of Control and occupied high ridges overlooking the Srinagar-Leh highway near Kargil, in Ladakh. Indian patrols found them in early May. India launched Operation Vijay, with infantry assaults on peaks above 5,000 metres, such as Tololing and Tiger Hill, backed by artillery and air power. It was fought mainly on India's side of the line, and ended on July 26 when India declared the heights cleared.
The intrusion was planned by senior Pakistani generals, including army chief Pervez Musharraf, to cut India's supply line and force the Kashmir issue back onto the world stage, a year after both countries tested nuclear weapons. Pakistan at first claimed that the men were independent militants, but later admitted that regular soldiers were involved. India did not cross the Line of Control, to avoid wider war, and received diplomatic support from the United States. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met President Clinton on July 4 and agreed to pull back. India's official toll was 527 soldiers killed, while Pakistan's own figures were lower and have been disputed. Sharif and the army blamed each other, and on October 12, 1999 Musharraf took power in a coup after Sharif tried to dismiss him.
Why it mattered
- It led to the military coup in Pakistan that brought General Musharraf to power for nine years.
- It was the first war between two nuclear-armed states, and was held limited, which shaped later thinking about crises.
- It ended the diplomatic thaw of the Lahore summit of February 1999.
- India set up the Kargil Review Committee, whose report led to reforms in intelligence and defence organisation.
Sources
- Kargil War Britannica
- Kargil War EBSCO Research Starters
Drafted by AI (Claude) from the sources above and checked against them by AI; no historian has reviewed this page. Spot a mistake? Suggest a correction. How pages are made
Community notes
Loading notes…