For over a decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has redefined the celebration of Diwali by marking it alongside the country’s armed forces, often in the most remote and challenging terrains, from icy mountain posts to the high seas. This year, he continued the tradition aboard INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, celebrating with Navy personnel off the Goa and Karwar coasts.
Addressing sailors and officers on the deck of the warship, the Prime Minister described the moment as symbolic of India’s growing strength and spirit. “Today, on one side, I have infinite horizons and infinite sky, and on the other side, I have this giant, INS Vikrant, embodying infinite powers,” he remarked.
Reaffirming his annual commitment, he told the forces: “It has become a habit of mine to celebrate Diwali with my family, and that’s why every year I come to celebrate Diwali with my family.”
An Oath That Began In Crisis
This practice dates back to 2001, when Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, spent his first Diwali in Kutch, a region reeling from a devastating earthquake. His decision to stand with those in hardship set the tone for the years that followed.
In 2009, his Diwali visit to Nathu La on the Indo-China border reinforced this approach. Writing in the visitors’ book, he noted, “To the brave soldiers devoted to our Motherland, my warm Diwali greetings. It has been my privilege to celebrate Diwali with our jawans on the border. India is proud of you. Your duty is not just service; it is ‘sadhana’, it is ‘tapasya’. May the Almighty bless you and your families with happiness, peace, and fulfillment. Always by your side. Narendra Modi. Diwali. 16 October 2009.”
A Decade Of Frontline Diwali
Since assuming office as Prime Minister in 2014, Modi has made it a tradition to celebrate Diwali at military posts that are both strategically significant and geographically challenging.
- 2014 – Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield
- 2015 – Border outpost in Punjab
- 2016 – Sumdoh, near the China border in Himachal Pradesh
- 2017 – Gurez sector in North Kashmir
- 2018 – Harsil, Uttarakhand
- 2019 – Rajouri, Jammu & Kashmir
- 2020 – Longewala, Rajasthan’s desert post
- 2021 – Nowshera, Jammu & Kashmir
- 2022 – Kargil, Ladakh
- 2023 – Lepcha, Himachal Pradesh
- 2024 – Sir Creek, Gujarat
This year’s celebration on the INS Vikrant highlighted the growing emphasis on maritime security and India’s naval capabilities, broadening the geographical and strategic scope of its Diwali visits.
A Morale Boost Beyond Symbolism
While symbolic in nature, this annual gesture carries deep significance for the armed forces. It offers a sense of connection between the highest political office and the soldiers who serve in isolation, often far from their families. Sharing Diwali in such conditions becomes an emotional bridge, reinforcing the sentiment that the nation stands united with its defenders.
More than a tradition, Modi’s Diwali with the forces has become a powerful reminder of service, sacrifice, and solidarity. It reflects a leadership style rooted not only in ceremony, but in presence, where it matters the most.
(With inputs from IANS)
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
