Kargil Diwas: Here's the only country which directly assisted India in war with Pakistan

As the entire world is commemorating Kargil Vijay Diwas today and India’s 1999 victory over Pakistan’s infiltration operation, it should be mentioned that New Delhi achieved the feat without help from any nation but Israel. Even though the entire world stirred diplomatic support for India, Pakistan had to suffer a major blow in its reputation on the international stage over its lies as Islamabad claimed that its army troopers were never part of the intrusion at Kargil in the mountainous region around the Line of Control (LoC). 

Only recently, Israel opened up about the full extent of the assistance it offered India in the Kargil War which started in May 1999 and lasted for several months until the Indian army emerged victorious on July 26 and recaptured all the points. 

Here's the only country which directly assisted India in the Kargil war

Last year, the Israeli embassy in India revealed that during the Kargil war it was one of the few countries that had directly helped India by providing mortars and ammunition. It is now also known that Israel provided laser-guided missiles for Mirage 2,000 fighter planes of the Indian Air Force. The delivery of the weapons that New Delhi had ordered even before the Kargil War started, was also ramped up including Israel’s Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). 

Israel also helped India by taking on the role of a troubleshooter for India, which was facing challenges in balancing out intelligence with high-tech weapons. Israel and India had also signed an agreement over the purchase of the weapons. Moreover, during the Kargil war, Israel handed over its ‘Heron’ drone which was known to be the most advanced technology at the time. Israel even helped in training Indian soldiers for operating the drone. 

Additionally, as Pakistani infiltrators sheltered in strong bunkers and were fetching lies to India, Israel provided laser-guided bombs to India. BEfore assistance from Israel, the Indian army was facing disruptions in its ‘Operation Vijay’ due to a lack of bombs that could hit the target from a distance. Israel-provided laser-guided bombs were fitted on Mirage 2,000 fighter planes that took out Pakistani bunkers almost instantly. 

Israel refuted international pressure for helping India

In another testament to strong bilateral ties and unwavering support for New Delhi, Israel refuted the pressure from the United States and other nations to delay delivery of the shipments. However, Israel delivered the order quickly.

More remarkably, Israel’s extended assistance to India came at a time when both nations did not have diplomatic ties. Earlier in 1971, when Israel was facing a shortage of weapons, the then PM Golda Meir had decided to divert arms meant for Iran to India. Meir even sent a note to then PM Indira Gandhi seeking diplomatic ties in exchange for arms, as stated by media reports.

After the Kargil war ended in July 1999 with India’s victory, the country not only worked on the shortcomings it faced and decided to modernise the weapons, but New Delhi made developments in ties with Israel. In 2000, then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh along with then Home Minister LK Advani visited Israel, kickstarting the ministerial level visits to the country.

Image: PTI