Pakistan will get bloodier nose if it repeats Kargil: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat

Srinagar: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday warned Pakistan of a “bloodier nose” if it chooses to go into another Kargil war-like “misadventure” with India.

“My message is: don’t do it. Kargil was a misadventure. Misadventures are normally not repeated. You’ll get a bloodier nose next time,” he said when asked at a press conference in Drass what message he would like to send to Pakistan on ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’. July 26 is celebrated as ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ every year to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1999 mini war in Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir.

Recalling the circumstances in which the Indian Army drove out enemy forces and reclaimed the Kargil heights, Gen. Rawat said, “The Indian soldier fought in very difficult and challenging circumstances. Yet he didn’t fail in his duty. He ensured that the task given to him was completed because he knew that we have to live by the reputation of the Indian Army”.

He said that the Kargil was the saga of “courage, valour and sacrifice” and that the Kargil Vijay Diwas is the day to pay homage to those soldiers who laid down their lives, to those who were wounded in the battle and those who fought the war and supported the units and formations that were actively involved in the combat”.

He added, “We’ve gathered here to pay tribute to those courageous soldiers who fought valiantly. It is a historic event”.

Replying questions, Gen. Rawat said the Army is modernising its inventory and the focus is on artillery weapons. He said, “We’re looking at modernising our inventory. Our focus is on artillery weapon system. We will get the Howitzers by 2020, K-9 Vajra is being manufactured in the country now and two Bofors-like guns are also being manufactured locally.”