PM Manmohan Singh pays tribute to Kargil martyrs

New Delhi, Jul 26: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday, Jul 26 led the nation in paying homage to the martyrs of the Kargil war on its 10th anniversary.

"I join the entire nation in paying homage to the martyrs of the Kargil war. They sacrificed their lives in defence of Indian unity and integrity," Manmohan Singh wrote in the visitor's book at Amar Jawan Jyoti.

"The best tribute we can pay to the gallant officers and jawans is to dedicate ourselves to the gigantic task of nation building and work steadfastly to protect the unity and integrity of our nation," he added.

Manmohan Singh was accompanied by Defence Minister A K Antony, Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Army Vice Chief Lieutenant General Noble Thamburaj and Air Force Vice Chief Air Marshal P K Barbora.

Nearly 500 Indian soldiers died on the snow-capped peaks of Kargil in the campaign to oust hundreds of infiltrators from Pakistan in the summer of 1999.

ANI