On the occasion ofKargilDiwas-2018 Raksha Mantri Nirmala Sitharaman along with three Service Chiefs paid their homage to the courage, valour, and sacrifices of the heroes of Operation Vijay at Amar JawanJyoti here today. Smt Sitharaman extended her heartiest greetings and best wishes to all the ranks of Indian Armed Forces, Veterans and their families on the occasion.The Indo-Pak Kargil conflict, known as Operation Vijay, was fought between May and July 1999, in the most inhospitable and rugged terrain along the Line of Control (LoC) from ZojiLa in the West to Turtok in the East. The conflict was engineered by Pakistan, infiltrating its troops and occupying vacated dominating heights across the LoC overlooking and threatening National Highway besides violating territorial integrity of the Nation. Indian Army soldiers, displaying utmost fortitude and resilience, fought legendary battles in Dras, Kaksar, Batalik and Turtok sectors at heights above 12,000 feet and evicted Pakistani intruders. Indian Air Force also contributed significantly and supported the Army operations.Smt Sitharaman also expressed confidence that the Indian Armed Forces would continue to serve the country with unwavering dedication and discipline keeping with their glorious traditions.