Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned the 2024 Diwali celebrations into a national highlight by spending the festival of lights on India’s first domestically‑built aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant. The carrier anchored off the Goa and Karwar coasts, giving Modi a chance to greet sailors and officers aboard a giant warship that represents India’s growing naval power.
“Every year I come here to celebrate Diwali with my family,” Modi told the crew on the deck. He added that the military men and women are his “family.” The PM described the scene, saying, “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.”
Modi’s Diwali‑with‑armed‑forces tradition started long before he became Prime Minister. When he was chief minister of Gujarat in 2001, Modi chose to spend his first Diwali in the earthquake‑hit Kutch region, a gesture that would turn into a hallmark of his leadership style. In 2009, still in Gujarat, he visited the Nathu La mountain pass on the Indo‑China border, writing in the visitor’s book that soldiers’ duty is “sadhana” (spiritual striving) and “tapasya” (penance). He closed with a pledge: “Always by your side.”
Since taking office in 2014, Modi has celebrated Diwali at some of the country’s toughest frontiers. His first prime‑minister’s Diwali in 2014 was in the icy Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield. Over the next decade he has visited the Punjab border, the Sumdoh pass near China, the Gurez sector in North Kashmir, Harsil in Uttarakhand, Rajouri, the desert outpost of Longewala, Nowshera, Kargil in Ladakh, Lepcha in Himachal Pradesh, and Sir Creek in Gujarat. Each visit is carefully chosen for its strategic significance and symbolic value.
The 2024 celebration with the INS Vikrant added a maritime chapter to the tradition. Instead of hovering over land, Modi acknowledged the importance of India’s naval security by standing beside sailors on the high seas. The sight of the carrier against the sunrise was both a powerful image of modern military strength and a reminder of the soldiers and sailors who keep the nation safe.
Beyond the ceremonial cuteness, Modi’s visits serve a clear purpose: they boost the morale of the armed forces. Being welcomed by the nation’s highest office sends a strong message of recognition and support to troops stationed in remote or challenging locations—whether on a frozen glacier or a warship cruising the Arabian Sea.
The event also underscores India’s growing pride in its indigenous defense capabilities. The INS Vikrant, built entirely in India, exemplifies the country’s ambition to become a self‑reliant nation for security, and Modi’s presence aboard the vessel signals that the government sees naval power as a vital part of national strength.
For Indians watching the broadcast, Modi’s Diwali aboard the INS Vikrant was a glowing reminder that the spirit of the festival—light, unity, and hope—is shared across the country, from the highest peaks to the deepest seas. This year’s ceremony once again highlighted the close bond between the nation’s leadership and its defenders, strengthening the sense of one people, one pride.
Source: ianslive
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