Rich tributes were paid to brave soldiers of the 1999 Kargil war on the 24th anniversary of India’s historic victory, celebrated as ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ on July 26 every year.

To mark the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday visited the Kargil War Memorial in Ladakh’s Dras, laid a wreath and paid homage to the valiant soldiers who displayed unparalleled bravery during ‘Operation Vijay’.

The ceremony at Dras also witnessed a gathering of war heroes, Veer Naris and the families of the fallen heroes. Rajnath Singh interacted with them and extended heartfelt gratitude while recalling all those who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation. He assured them that the sacrifices of these bravehearts will never be forgotten.

Addressing the gathering, Singh commended the valour and commitment of the Armed Forces, which have, time and again, helped the country stand tall in times of crisis. He also assured all that the Government is fully committed to safeguarding national interests, no matter the challenge.

“No compromise will be made in protecting the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country. We have given a free hand to the Armed Forces to eliminate the nation’s enemies. India is a peace-loving nation which believes in its centuries-old values and is committed towards international laws, but to safeguard our interests, we will not hesitate in crossing the LoC. Earlier, the nation and the Armed Forces lacked political will, which has now been provided by our Government, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. We stand firm with our forces. The people and Parliament have full faith in our soldiers,” Rajnath Singh said.

Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd), Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, former Army Chief General VP Malik (Retd), General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, General  Officer Commanding, 14 Corps Lieutenant General Rashim Bali, Lieutenant General YK Joshi (Retd) and Lieutenant General Amarnath Aul (Retd) were among others who attended the ceremony.