Jaipur, Oct 21 : After Independence Day, India once again refrained from offering sweets to Pakistan Rangers on Diwali. The Union Home Ministry had directed the Border Security Force (BSF) not to engage in the traditional exchange of sweets at the Indo-Pak border this year.

Following these instructions, no sweets were exchanged at the Rajasthan border posts along Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer, where BSF personnel are deployed.

For decades, Indian and Pakistani soldiers have exchanged sweets and greetings on national and religious occasions such as Independence Day, Republic Day, Holi, Diwali, and Eid ' a gesture symbolising goodwill and mutual respect despite tensions.

However, this tradition was halted after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 people were killed by Pakistan-based terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Baisaran meadow, which prompted the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to adopt a tougher stance towards the neighbouring nation for its anti-India activities.

The exchange of sweets was first suspended on August 15 and has now been extended to Diwali. A senior security official said the message from New Delhi to Pakistan is clear ' 'as long as cross-border terrorism continues, such symbolic gestures will remain suspended.'

Over the years, sweet exchanges between BSF and Pakistan Rangers have served as a small but symbolic step towards establishing peace and camaraderie. On festivals like Meethi Eid, Eid al-Adha, and Diwali, both sides traditionally greeted each other at zero point on the border with trays of sweets. But on this Diwali, the Rajasthan frontier remained quiet.

There were no handshakes and no exchange of sweets between the two sides. In the place of the usual camaraderie there was only heightened vigilance underlining India's firm policy and message to Pakistan that peace gestures cannot coexist with terrorism.

"After August 15th, India continues its no-sweets policy amid rising cross-border tensions," said officials.

/IANS