Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is spending Deepavali 2026 with troops deployed in forward areas, with his itinerary taking him to locations linked to the India-China border in Sikkim and nearby military stations in West Bengal. The two-day programme continues a familiar tradition of top defence leadership observing major festivals alongside personnel posted in challenging operational settings.
Visits in Darjeeling and Sukna on the eve of Diwali
On Saturday, November 7, the eve of Diwali, Singh is scheduled to meet Indian Army personnel at Bagdogra Airfield in Darjeeling and at Sukna near Siliguri in West Bengal. Sukna is described as a key military station associated with the Trishakti Corps (33 Corps). Upon arrival at Bagdogra Airport, he was received by West Bengal Minister Shankar Ghosh and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit.
Tribute at Sherathang War Memorial
On Sunday, November 8, Diwali day, the Defence Minister will visit the Sherathang War Memorial in East Sikkim, near the Nathu La pass on the India-China border. He is expected to pay tributes to soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation and interact with defence personnel deployed in the area.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Rajnath Singh said: “On the eve of Diwali today, I shall be in Darjeeling to interact with our brave Defence Forces personnel at Bagdogra airfield and Sukna (Siliguri). Tomorrow, 08th November, I shall be visiting Sherathang War Memorial in Sikkim to pay my tributes to India’s brave-hearts who laid down their lives while serving the nation. I shall also be interacting with the defence personnel deployed in the region.”
About the memorial and its significance
The Sherathang War Memorial, also referred to as the Watershed Martyr’s Memorial, commemorates Indian Army personnel who laid down their lives while guarding the Indo-China frontier in Sikkim. The memorial includes remembrance of those who fell during the 1967 Nathu La and Cho La clashes. It stands in one of the most strategically sensitive stretches of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
A recurring festival tradition
Rajnath Singh has regularly observed major festivals with frontline troops. He traditionally marks Vijayadashami (Dussehra) with personnel at key military stations, though he could not do so this year because of an official visit abroad. In 2025, he celebrated Dussehra with troops at the Bhuj Military Station in Gujarat, taking part in a traditional “Bada Khana” and Shastra Puja, and also witnessed a multi-agency exercise near the India-Pakistan border. In 2024, he celebrated Diwali with soldiers at the 4 Corps Headquarters in Tezpur, Assam, and Holi with personnel at the Leh Military Station in Ladakh.
Border context
The visit comes amid continuing efforts by India and China to maintain peace and stability along the LAC. In September 2026, the Indian and Chinese armies held their first Corps Commander-level meeting in the Eastern Sector, extending the military dialogue mechanism beyond the Western (Ladakh) sector. ITBP chief Shatrujeet Kapur recently said that face-offs between Indian and Chinese forces had continued at multiple locations along the LAC since July, including in Arunachal Pradesh. Separately, cross-border trade through the Nathu La pass resumed in August 2026 after a suspension of more than six years.
The Defence Minister’s presence with troops on Deepavali is intended to boost morale and convey the nation’s recognition of the service rendered by personnel stationed far from their families in demanding high-altitude conditions.
