Modi told the jawans that he had come unannounced, and they may be surprised, but one does not need to announce arrival when coming to one's own family.
This is Modi's first Diwali as Prime Minister which he decided to spend on the 18,875 ft glacier with soldiers braving tough conditions.
Talking about the hardships faced by the armed forces, especially in the tough terrain of Siachen, Modi said he was himself able to witness the precarious conditions the soldiers were working in while making his journey to the icy glacier.
In the visitors' book, Modi wrote that soldiers in uniform who guarded the nation's frontiers in such difficult conditions were no less than 'rishis' and sages.
