NEW DELHI — Marking his 13th consecutive year spending Diwali on the frontlines, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday that he will celebrate the festival of lights alongside security forces stationed in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region.
The visit highlights the central government’s focus on internal security and economic development in a region historically impacted by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).
Focus on Security Operations and Regional Revival
The choice of Bastar as this year’s venue underscores the ongoing transformation across the former counter-insurgency hub:
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Salute to Personnel: Announcing the visit on social media, the Prime Minister emphasized honoring the sacrifices and service of security forces operating in challenging interior terrains to restore stability.
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Operational Shift: Over the past decade, coordinated operations by central paramilitary forces and state police—supported by the establishment of forward operating camps—have systematically reduced Maoist influence across dense forest belts.
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Development Integration: The rollback of insurgency has enabled the construction of long-pending road networks, schools, and medical centers in remote tribal villages, bringing civic administration back to previously isolated pockets.
Timeline of Annual Frontline Festive Engagements
Since taking office in 2014, Prime Minister Modi has maintained an unbroken practice of celebrating Diwali with uniformed personnel at operational deployments across the country:
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High-Altitude and LoC Formations: The Prime Minister started the tradition in 2014 at the Siachen Glacier and has visited strategic forward posts in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh five times, including Gurez Valley, Rajouri, Nowshera, and Kargil.
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Diverse Operational Theaters: Previous festive visits have also encompassed naval vessels at sea and remote border outposts along India’s western and eastern frontiers, with the 2026 Bastar deployment highlighting the role of internal security forces guarding the hinterland.
