Did the Bofors cannon prove to be a unit in the Kargil war victory?

New Delhi, July 25, 2020, Saturday

In Indian politics, the term Bofors is associated with corruption and political upheaval. Howitzer cannons were purchased from a Swedish company called Bofors when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of the country in the 19th century. But many were skeptical. However, these cannons, first incorporated into the Indian Army, were first used in the 19th Kargil War.

The Bofors cannons, once the center of political turmoil in the country, were heavily used in the Kargil War. This cannon was light in weight and easy to navigate on mountains. The cannon, capable of firing three rounds in 15 seconds, fired up to 50 km.

The greatest feature of this cannon was that it was light in weight and capable of firing three rounds in just 15 seconds. The cannon fired an intended target of up to 20 km and released six of the enemy. To win the Kargil War, it became necessary to destroy the enemy's bunkers hidden in the mountains of Tololing and Dwas sector. Because this was a strategic location from which the Pakistani army was gaining ground by disrupting the supply line of the Indian Army. Therefore, winning the Tololing was very important to win the Kargil War. Not a single bunker survived the Bofors artillery shelling here. Finally, with the victory over Tololing on 16 and 17 June, the Indian Army turned the tide of the war in its favor.

Taking advantage of Pakistan's high altitude, more and more Indian soldiers were to be killed. If that happened, it would affect the morale of Indian troops. Of these, only 4,000 were used on Tiger Hill. The use of ammunition was even higher than that used in World War II. .