The Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan, often referred to as the Kargil War, was fought in which year?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to contemporary Indian history and defence studies. The Kargil conflict was a limited war fought between India and Pakistan in the high altitude Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir. It is important for students to know the correct year of this conflict, as it is frequently cited in discussions about national security and recent military history.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks specifically for the year of the Kargil conflict.
• The conflict is known as the Kargil War.
• Four different years are provided as options: 1979, 1989, 1999 and 1969.
• We assume familiarity with major post independence wars involving India.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is straightforward factual recall. India has fought major wars in 1947–48, 1962, 1965, 1971 and a limited conflict in 1999 at Kargil. The Kargil War is specifically associated with the period from May to July 1999, when Indian forces carried out Operation Vijay to evict infiltrators from high mountain positions. Therefore, among the given years, 1999 is the only correct one.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall significant Indo Pakistani conflicts: 1947–48 over Kashmir, 1965 war, 1971 war leading to Bangladesh, and the Kargil conflict. Step 2: Note that the Kargil War took place after India's nuclear tests in 1998 and before the early 2000s. Step 3: The conflict is dated specifically to 1999, with major operations during May–July 1999. Step 4: Compare this with the options: 1969, 1979 and 1989 do not match known major conflicts named "Kargil War". Step 5: Therefore, the correct year is 1999.

Verification / Alternative check:
Defence studies materials, government publications and media retrospectives consistently refer to the Kargil conflict as having occurred in 1999. Commemorations such as Kargil Vijay Diwas are also tied to this year. There is no recognised Kargil conflict in 1969, 1979 or 1989, which further supports 1999 as the only plausible answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1979: No major Kargil specific conflict occurred in this year between India and Pakistan.
1989: This period is associated with rising insurgency in Kashmir but not with the high altitude Kargil War referred to in the question.
1969: Again, there was no Kargil War in this year; the better known Indo Pakistani wars occurred earlier in 1965 and later in 1971.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may confuse the Kargil conflict with earlier Indo Pakistani wars or may vaguely remember it as occurring in the 1990s without recalling the exact year. Some may also mistakenly link it with the 1971 war, which instead was focused on East Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh. Anchoring the event in memory as a late 1990s conflict after the nuclear tests helps fix the year 1999 clearly.

Final Answer:
The Kargil conflict, or Kargil War, was fought in the year 1999.