Sitaraman to join troops in Arunachal for Diwali

Defence minister Nirmala Sitaraman will join army troops posted along the China border in Arunachal Pradesh to celebrate Diwali.

Defence spokesperson based in Shillong, wing Cmdr Ratnakar Singh told DH on Tuesday morning that the defence minister was on her way to Arunachal Pradesh for celebrating the Diwali with the army troops deployed in the forward posts of Upper Dibang district today.

"The defence minister will flyover the general area and visit two posts at Anini and Andrala Omkar to wish Diwali to the troops on Wednesday. The high altitude post of Andrala Omkar is still 35-40 km from the nearest road head. She will spend the night there. She would also be meeting and interacting with the families of the martyrs, among others," Singh said.

The defence minister would also be briefed upon the defence preparedness and infrastructure improvements by the army. Eastern army commander and other senior officials are accompanying Sitaraman during the entire visit.

The visit is seen as significant as China claims entire Arunachal Pradesh as its own territory but the government of India has rejected the Chinese claims several times and made it clear that the Northeastern state is an integral part of the country. The Centre has already taken up several infrastructure development projects in the eastern frontier state.