New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan on Thursday addressed a gathering of Army officers, Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and soldiers of 18 Grenadiers to mark 25 years of the battles of Tololing and Tiger Hill fought during the Kargil war in 1999.

During this, Anil Chauhan said that due to technological advancement the nature of war is changing rapidly and the armed forces of the country will have to be ready to accept this change.

Tiger Hill was captured by the Indian Army on 4 July 1999

The peak of Tiger Hill was captured by the Indian Army on 4 July 1999. The 18 Grenadiers Battalion played an important role in the Kargil War. 'Vijay Diwas' is celebrated every year on 26 July to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in the 1999 Kargil War.

General Chauhan told the people present at the event, the people of the country have faith in our capabilities and this is why we have gained immense respect. The legacy you have inherited has been earned by our ancestors. We may not have contributed directly, but we are reaping its benefits.

He said that this also gives us responsibilities as individuals and as a community. The Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) said that as a soldier and as a community, no mistake can be made, trust can never be lost.

We are going through an era of change- CDS

In his address, General Chauhan said, we are going through an era of change. In today's era, the nature of war is changing rapidly. Therefore, we have to always be ready to accept this change.

We want India to have professional armed forces and become a superpower. This is our desire. This can happen only when we work with new energy, new vigour and new thinking. Quoting scientists and philosophers, the CDS underlined that change is the only constant and the Indian armed forces cannot stay away from this change.

He said, the nature of warfare is changing rapidly due to rapid technological development. In the past it was found that valour is an essential element to win a war. But in future wars, valour alone will not be enough... we will have to be flexible and imaginative and keep an open mind.

The CDS told the gathering that as many weapons get upgraded with better technology, the strategy and tactics also change and this is happening at a much faster pace now.

People love the armed forces - CDS

He said, today we are talking of multi-domain warfare. Instead of traditional areas like land, sea, shipping and air, cyber, electromagnetic spectrum and space areas have also been included to enhance our military power.

The CDS said that people love and trust the armed forces and if we have to maintain this, we have to bring about changes.

We cannot fail in war, he stressed. He said that unlike sports, there are no runners-up in war because the winner wins everything.

General Chauhan wishes the members of 18 Grenadiers Battalion

"To maintain that trust, you have to understand these new things and adapt to them. This is the main reason why the government has created the post of CDS and it is part of the reforms we are trying to implement," Gen Chauhan said.

He said that as CDS, his job is to bring unity and integration among the three forces, everyone should work in harmony. He said, a unit works like a human body, where any disease affects the overall health.

General Chauhan also extended greetings to the members of the 18 Grenadiers Battalion and the brave women whose sons or husbands made the supreme sacrifice for the country.

Past and Present Commanding Officers of 18 Grenadiers

The former and present commanding officers of 18 Grenadiers, who captured Tiger Hill in the Kargil war 25 years ago, are together today to commemorate the silver jubilee of that victory. These commanding officers include war hero Brigadier Kushal Thakur (then Colonel), who led the unit during the war.