Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a high-level security meeting on Tuesday, stated that the Indian armed forces have been given complete operational autonomy to decide how, when, and where to respond to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people—most of them tourists.
PM Modi chairs high level security meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a 90-minute high-level security meeting on Tuesday, which Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the three service chiefs—Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh—attended.
According to sources, the Prime Minister reaffirmed that delivering a “crushing blow” to terrorism remains a core national objective. He conveyed his full confidence in the Indian Armed Forces, assuring senior defence leaders that they have complete operational autonomy to determine the strategy, targets, and timing of any response.
The meeting came just a day before the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)—India’s highest authority on national security matters—was scheduled to convene under PM Modi’s leadership.
On Monday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had already briefed the Prime Minister on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Discussions among top military officials centered on possible retaliatory measures against those responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack—the deadliest assault on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
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PM Modi had earlier promised a strong retaliation against those responsible
Earlier, PM Modi had vowed strong retaliation against those responsible for the attack, blaming Pakistan for continuing to support cross-border terrorism. He assured the nation that the perpetrators and their backers would face consequences “beyond their imagination.”
Following the attack, the Indian government has begun implementing retaliatory measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.
Additionally, earlier in the day, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan chaired a separate high-level meeting with senior officials from the paramilitary forces and two major security agencies. While the specific agenda of that meeting was not made public, it is understood to be part of the larger response strategy.
The government’s firm stance recalls earlier retaliatory actions, such as the 2016 surgical strikes after the Uri attack and the 2019 Balakot airstrike following the Pulwama bombing—both aimed at terrorist infrastructure across the border.
