Air Force Chief Meets PM Modi as Tensions with Pakistan Escalate After Pahalgam Attack
Amid rising tensions with Pakistan over last month’s deadly Pahalgam terror attack, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Sunday.
The meeting comes as part of a series of high-level consultations held by PM Modi with India’s top military leadership, fuelling speculation about possible military retaliation for the April 22 terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which killed 26 people.
Sources told Hindustan Times that the Air Force chief met PM Modi for nearly 40 minutes on Sunday. Earlier, on May 3, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi also held an hour-long meeting with the Prime Minister at 6 PM.
On April 30, Army Chief General Manoj Pande held discussions with the PM at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in attendance.
In a crucial meeting held on April 26, PM Modi met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, CDS General Anil Chauhan, NSA Doval, and other top defence officials. Sources said the Prime Minister gave a “free hand” to the armed forces to decide on an appropriate response to Pakistan.
A senior official said, “The Prime Minister is closely monitoring the situation and is in regular touch with the military leadership to assess preparedness and possible responses.”
In a notable development, the Ordnance Factory Board has cancelled all leave for its employees with immediate effect, signalling a ramp-up in defence production and readiness. The move reflects the urgency within defence circles to ensure preparedness across all fronts.
A senior official from the Ordnance Factory said, “This is a precautionary step to ensure all units are operating at full capacity given the current security climate.”
On April 22, 26 people were killed in a brutal terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. India has blamed Pakistan-based terror groups for orchestrating the assault, leading to a sharp uptick in diplomatic and military-level tensions between the two neighbours.
This series of top-level defence meetings underscores New Delhi’s seriousness in mounting a strong, measured response.
With all three service chiefs having briefed the Prime Minister within the past week, an official statement on India’s course of action is awaited. Diplomatic channels remain open, but the tone from South Block indicates that a retaliatory move could be on the table.
