In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long-standing practice of celebrating Diwali with soldiers in forward locations, the country’s top military officials are also marking the festival alongside troops stationed at various strategic points across India.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan is celebrating Diwali with personnel of the Andaman and Nicobar Command in Port Blair, participating in festivities with the troops deployed at the tri-services command.

Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has reached Arunachal Pradesh to celebrate Diwali with soldiers stationed along the sensitive border region.

Meanwhile, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi is spending the festival with naval personnel at Porbandar, Gujarat, a location that frequently witnesses activity related to cross-border smuggling and infiltration attempts from Pakistan.

Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh is celebrating Diwali with air force personnel deployed in the Jammu and Kashmir sector, where the armed forces maintain high alert along the Line of Control.

Prime Minister Modi has made it a tradition to spend Diwali with troops stationed in challenging forward areas, emphasizing his commitment to their well-being and morale. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has also introduced a tradition of shastra pooja—the ceremonial worship of arms—during Dussehra, a practice he began in 2019 when he traveled to France to receive the first Rafale fighter jet for the Indian Air Force.

In a similar gesture, several senior military officers, including the Army Chief, recently marked Dussehra with troops stationed in Sikkim and West Bengal, further reinforcing the government’s emphasis on recognizing the contributions of the armed forces during festive occasions.

(Inputs from ANI)