So greetings to one and all. Today we have Captain Akhilesh Saxena who has led three major attacks in the Kargil war
Thank you so much for your time and having us here with you sir. It's really a pleasure
Thanks. And so like it has always been a thing there are many documentaries and the Kargil war itself has been recorded in multiple aspects
But you know it's still it's very fascinating to know about the war actually what happened. So I think the viewers would really like to know your opinion and your side of the story with regards to the Kargil war
So actually Kargil war was totally different from three others war which we have fought like India which fought 47, 62, 65 and then 71 war also
Because they were more like conventional war right where both our army were in front with each other and all. Kargil was a little different war right
So what happened you know just to give you a background there is one NH1. NH1 connects India from Srinagar, Jammu, Srinagar and go up to Leh Ladakh
And the entire supply line of Leh Ladakh goes to that NH1. It's also called a neck of India right because your entire stocking in Leh Ladakh region is being done in these 4 months when this road or 5 months where this road is open right
The logistic road. Yes and thousands of truck goes and they do the stocking, arms, ammunition and also the food supply and all
And that's why you know this Leh Ladakh region survived. Now you just think if somebody is able to cut that road and that supply is not able to reach to Leh Ladakh region right
So they are not prepared for kind of winter right. In that way you know they can easily cut it and capture it. And that was the larger game plan if I say from the enemy side
Their first move was occupy all the hills which are just on the side of NH1 right. Occupy these hills. Whenever supply start you block the road because then you can bring the fire the way you want right
Don't allow any supply. Keep that situation just for the 4 months right. So that entire summer is over. After that there will be so much of snow that you anyway cannot move right
Barriers. So then cut the entire supply line. Isolate Leh Ladakh and then in winter it will be much easier for you know adversary one side China, Pakistan to capture that region
That was a larger game plan right. And they really planned it very well right. They started planning for this I think at least 2 to 3 years in advance
They have taken lot of arms equipments you know for the snow warfare. And in a very slow manner otherwise you know just to ensure that they are not being detected by Indian intelligence agencies right
So they started that. Now another thing which I want to take which is very interesting thing. These all posts along the NH1 they are winter vacated posts
Winter vacated post means these posts are only being occupied during the summer time not in winter time. And the region is not military but its economic region
Because in winter even if you have to put a you know one food item a hector has to go. You know nobody can climb because it is totally snow bound
Temperature goes up to minus 28 to minus 40 degree centigrade on these peaks you know they are quite high
So India is a economically not so developed country. Pakistan is anyway you know in a different situation
So it was an unwritten agreement that both the armies will come down after summer and nobody will stay on these peaks during winter
And next summer they will come up. So then Pakistan took advantage of this entire situation
In 1998 when both the army came down say in September and October Pakistani army after that say around in November December slowly start moving up
You know just 2, 3, 4 in a totally snow clad dress you know taking some equipments small arms with them
And slowly slowly slowly they start building up this and slowly they came inside the India
Encroachment started. And within these 3 months in a very slow manner this entire ridge or mountains which run from you know starting from Srinagar
till Leh Ladakh region, Daraaz, Kargil where the major encroachment took place. They occupied all the peaks
We were totally unaware and we only came to know about it when Indian army start moving up in March not even in March in April or mid May
Right. And we were not knowing who is sitting over there. And they were full Pakistani army totally trained
All equipped, made a small bunker with the help of kind of you know stones
They were having rocket launchers. They were having the chemical weapons. They knew that you know India can use all these things. So they just reinforced themselves
Now in mountains warfare anyone who is sitting on top at least 20 times more powerful
Even if you throw a stone there will be casualty on other side
The speed that favors the... Speed and then you know you are climbing up