PolicyDefence
Rajnath Singh spends Diwali eve with Army troops in north Bengal, Sikkim visit on Sunday
The Defence Minister meets soldiers at Bagdogra Airfield and Sukna on Saturday and will pay tribute at the Sherathang War Memorial on Diwali day.
Key points
- Rajnath Singh meets Army personnel at Bagdogra Airfield and Sukna on Diwali eve.
- On Sunday he will visit the Sherathang War Memorial in Sikkim and meet troops deployed there.
- The tour follows the Cabinet's November 4 approval of a Second Tour of Duty for Agniveers.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is spending the eve of Diwali with Army personnel in north Bengal on Saturday, and will carry the visit across the border into Sikkim on Diwali day.
In a post on X, Singh said: “Today, on the eve of Diwali, I will meet and interact with Indian Army personnel at Bagdogra Airfield.” He is also due to meet troops at Sukna in Siliguri. No timings for the interactions were announced.
Sunday in Sikkim
On Sunday, Diwali itself, Singh said he will visit the Sherathang War Memorial in Sikkim to honour soldiers who died in service. He will also meet troops deployed in the area.
His message to the forces comes days after the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a two-year “Second Tour of Duty” for Agniveers on November 4. Singh thanked the Prime Minister and said willing Agniveers could later be enrolled as regular soldiers after their four or six years of service, subject to selection criteria. He described the step as part of long-term reforms to build a younger, fitter and more technologically capable military.
The reports on the visit do not say whether he will address the Agniveer decision with the soldiers he meets.