Dehradun: Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with jawans of the Indian Army and ITBP, at Harsil in Uttarakhand on Wednesday. The BJP leader also offered prayer at Kedarnath today.

PM Modi has been visiting the borders on Diwali since he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

Responding to greetings from Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, PM said that this year too he would visit the border areas and surprise the troops. He also said that he will share pictures on Wednesday evening.

Last year, PM Modi celebrated Diwali with soldiers at Gurez in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2015 and 2016, he was with soldiers at the Punjab border and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel at a border outpost respectively.

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Greeting the jawans on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that their devotion to duty in the remote icy heights, is enabling the strength of the nation, and securing the future and the dreams of 125 crore Indians.

The Prime Minister offered sweets to the jawans and interacted with people from nearby areas who gathered to greet him on Diwali.

Modi said that like Diwali, which spreads the light of goodness and dispels fear, the jawans, through their commitment and discipline, are also helping to spread the sense of security and fearlessness among the people.

During his visit, the Prime Minister said India is taking great strides forward in the defence sector and spoke of various measures being taken for the welfare of ex-servicemen, including OROP (One Rank, One Pension).