NEW DELHI, November 8 (Aalimi Nation) – Prime Minister Narendra Modi was due to travel to Bastar in Chhattisgarh on Sunday to spend Diwali with security personnel, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh marked the festival with Air Force and Army personnel in West Bengal on the eve of the occasion, as both leaders stressed the forces' readiness and sacrifice.

Announcing the trip on X, the Prime Minister said he was "heading to Bastar to celebrate Diwali with our brave security forces". He said he would salute the personnel for their "sacrifices, selfless service and unwavering devotion to the nation". Modi described the region as one where development is now flourishing after decades in which Naxalism held influence.

In a video message on Saturday, he said he would continue his tradition of celebrating the festival with soldiers.

Central Armed Police Forces and the Chhattisgarh Police have been deployed in Bastar and were closely involved in operations against Naxal groups, according to officials. The government announced on March 31 this year that India was free of the Naxal menace, citing the killing of many leaders and cadres and the surrender of hundreds of others.

On Saturday, Rajnath Singh attended a Diwali Milan at the Indian Air Force Station in Bagdogra, West Bengal. He also reviewed the operational preparedness of the Army's 33 Corps at Sukna, which guards the India-China border in Sikkim.

Addressing personnel, Singh said: "The adversary often avoids direct confrontation and instead seeks to exploit our vulnerabilities." He added: "In such a scenario, your role goes beyond that of an ordinary soldier."

The minister urged the forces to maintain the highest operational readiness. He pointed to threats including asymmetric warfare, proxy wars, cyberattacks, drone swarms and misinformation, and called for a focus on domain awareness, cyber resilience and information integrity. He described Bagdogra as a key security link on the Siliguri Corridor, which connects the Northeast with the rest of the country.

Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, the Air Force chief, attended the event.

At Bagdogra, Singh also said that all Agniveers will be eligible for enrolment as regular soldiers after an additional two-year tenure, provided they are willing and meet the selection criteria. He called the extension a significant Diwali gift for Agniveers.

The announcement follows a Cabinet decision earlier this week. Chief of Defence Staff General N S Raja Subramani said on November 4 that the criteria include willingness to continue, prescribed physical fitness and no pending disciplinary cases. Officials say more than three lakh Agniveers are currently serving. Under the Agnipath scheme, introduced in June 2022, soldiers are recruited for four years and only 25 per cent are retained in regular service. Opposition parties, including the Congress, have questioned what will happen to those who leave after four years.

Officials have not said how many Agniveers will ultimately be enrolled as regular soldiers. Details of the Bastar programme were not available at the time of writing.