For over a decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has redefined what it means to lead a nation — not just from the corridors of power, but from the frontlines of service. Every Diwali, while most leaders in the past preferred the comfort of official residences or political gatherings, Modi has chosen to spend the festival among India’s armed forces — on icy mountain posts, desert frontlines, and even aboard warships at sea. It is not a photo-op; it is a statement of solidarity — one no Indian Prime Minister before him ever made with such conviction and consistency.
This year, he celebrated Diwali aboard INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, off the Goa and Karwar coasts. Standing on its deck, he looked at the vast horizon and remarked, “On one side, I have infinite skies, and on the other, I have this giant, INS Vikrant, embodying infinite powers.” It was more than symbolism — it was a reflection of India’s growing confidence, self-reliance, and maritime strength.
What sets Modi apart is that his connect with the forces didn’t begin after he became Prime Minister. It began in 2001, when as Gujarat’s Chief Minister, he chose to spend his first Diwali not in celebration but in Kutch, standing shoulder to shoulder with earthquake victims. Later, in 2009, his Diwali visit to Nathu La on the Indo-China border carried the same message of empathy and gratitude. He wrote in the visitor’s book:
“Your duty is not just service; it is sadhana, it is tapasya. May the Almighty bless you and your families with happiness, peace and fulfilment.”
That sincerity has only deepened over the years. Since 2014, every Diwali has seen him in uniformed company — in places few politicians even dare to visit:
- 2014 – Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield
- 2015 – Border outpost, Punjab
- 2016 – Sumdoh, near the China border in Himachal Pradesh
- 2017 – Gurez sector, North Kashmir
- 2018 – Harsil, Uttarakhand
- 2019 – Rajouri, Jammu & Kashmir
- 2020 – Longewala, Rajasthan
- 2021 – Nowshera, Jammu & Kashmir
- 2022 – Kargil, Ladakh
- 2023 – Lepcha, Himachal Pradesh
- 2024 – Sir Creek, Gujarat
- 2025 – INS Vikrant, Arabian Sea
Each visit has carried an unmistakable message: that those who guard the nation are not forgotten, even on the most joyous festival of lights.
Contrast this with the approach of earlier Prime Ministers. Jawaharlal Nehru, despite being hailed as a modern visionary, once questioned the very need for a large army — believing the police could suffice to protect India’s borders. That misplaced idealism cost the nation dearly in 1962. His successors, too, largely viewed the armed forces as instruments of political power rather than partners in national security. Indira Gandhi, despite her decisive leadership during the 1971 war, later used the army for internal suppression during the Emergency. Rajiv Gandhi, too, sent troops into Sri Lanka under political pressure, a decision that ended tragically.
Perhaps only Lal Bahadur Shastri, who coined the immortal slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” truly understood the soldier’s heart. His brief tenure remains a reminder of how humility and respect for the forces can coexist with firmness and resolve. His untimely and suspicious death in Tashkent robbed India of a leader who might have taken that spirit forward.
It took Narendra Modi to restore that sense of honour and autonomy to the armed forces. He became the first Prime Minister to give the military a free hand to act — be it in Uri, Balakot, or along the LAC. Under his leadership, India built long-neglected border infrastructure, accelerated indigenous defence production, and increased the defence budget to record levels.
But beyond budgets and battles, what resonates most with the rank and file is Modi’s presence — not just ceremonial, but deeply personal. His Diwali visits are not choreographed spectacles; they are acts of reaffirmation. When he tells soldiers, “It has become a habit of mine to celebrate Diwali with my family,” he means it. For him, the soldier is family — and that’s not political rhetoric.
I have personally felt that these gestures, though simple in appearance, are profound in meaning. They connect the Prime Minister to the pulse of the nation’s protectors. For a jawan posted on a freezing post in Kargil or a sailor navigating the choppy waters of the Arabian Sea, that connection means the world. It tells them that the nation — and its leader — stand beside them.
Narendra Modi’s Diwali tradition has, thus, become more than a ritual. It’s a living symbol of leadership rooted in service, sacrifice, and solidarity. It reminds us that true power lies not in commanding from afar, but in standing beside those who guard the nation’s soul.
That’s why, in every sense — from conviction to compassion — Modi is unlike any Prime Minister before him.
