We salute grit, valour of those who defended India: President on Kargil Vijay Diwas

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday hailed the "grit and valour of those who defended India" on the 20th anniversary of India's triumph in the Kargil war.

"On Kargil Vijay Diwas, a grateful nation acknowledges the gallantry of our Armed Forces on the heights of Kargil in 1999. We salute the grit and valour of those who defended India, and record our everlasting debt to those who never returned. Jai Hind," President Kovind tweeted.

Later in the day, the President will visit the war memorial in Jammu and Kashmir's Drass to pay tributes to soldiers who laid down their lives in the 1999 conflict.

The war memorial has around 500 tombstones with the name of soldiers inscribed in them.

The Indian armed forces had defeated Pakistan on July 26, 1999. Since then, the day is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Indian Army is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Kargil War on Friday to rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who took part in Operation Vijay.