Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Darjeeling on Saturday to celebrate Diwali with Indian Army personnel at Bagdogra Airfield and Sukna in Siliguri before travelling to Sikkim to interact with soldiers deployed along the frontier at Nathu La.
In a post on X, Singh said he would meet and interact with Army personnel at Bagdogra Airfield in Darjeeling and Sukna in Siliguri on the eve of Diwali.
On Sunday, November 8, when the country celebrates Diwali, the Defence Minister will visit the Sherathang War Memorial in Sikkim to pay tribute to soldiers who laid down their lives in the service of the nation. He will also interact with personnel deployed in the region.
“Tomorrow (November 8), on Diwali, I will visit the Sherathang War Memorial in Sikkim to pay tribute to our brave sons who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation. I will also meet and interact with our soldiers deployed in this region,” Singh said.
The Defence Minister has regularly celebrated festivals with armed forces personnel stationed in different parts of the country.
In 2025, he celebrated Dussehra with soldiers at the Bhuj Military Station in Gujarat, where he participated in the traditional ‘Bada Khana’ and performed Shastra Puja.
He also witnessed a multi-agency exercise at Lakki Nala, near the India-Pakistan border. The exercise involved personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and other security agencies, showcasing inter-agency coordination and operational preparedness.
In 2024, Singh celebrated Diwali with Army personnel at the 4 Corps Headquarters in Tezpur, Assam, where he interacted with soldiers and officers and acknowledged their service to the nation.
Earlier that year, he celebrated Holi with armed forces personnel at the Leh Military Station in Ladakh, shared sweets with soldiers and laid a wreath at the Hall of Fame in Leh.
Published: Saturday, 7 November 2026 | 12:09 PM IST