‘Mode, Time, Target’ PM Gives Forces Full Freedom on Pahalgam Response
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told top military leaders they have full operational freedom to decide India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26.
In a high-level security review following the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, PM Modi conveyed that the Indian armed forces are free to determine the mode, timing, and target of their response. The meeting, held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in New Delhi, lasted over 90 minutes and included senior military and security leadership.
Sources said the PM reiterated India’s national resolve to deliver a “crushing blow to terrorism” and assured complete confidence in the forces’ operational capabilities.
Present at the meeting were Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.
The discussion also set the stage for Wednesday’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, expected to outline broader counter-terror strategies and policy decisions.
In a public rally in Bihar on April 24, PM Modi had vowed to hunt down those responsible for the attack and their patrons, in a veiled warning to Pakistan. “We will reach them at the ends of the earth and deliver the harshest punishment,” he said.
The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam killings. Pakistan has denied involvement, but Indian intelligence officials remain unconvinced.
Separately, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan chaired a high-level meeting with heads of the BSF, NSG, Assam Rifles, and other paramilitary forces. Discussions centered on internal security, border surveillance, and operational readiness.
DG of BSF Daljit Singh Chaudhary, DG NSG Brighu Srinivasan, DG Assam Rifles Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera, and ADG SSB Anupama Nilekar Chandra were among the attendees.
India had conducted surgical strikes in 2016 and aerial strikes in Balakot in 2019 following the Uri and Pulwama attacks respectively. Both were decisive retaliatory actions targeting terror infrastructure inside Pakistan.
As tensions escalate, New Delhi is closely monitoring the situation, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, where militants are believed to be attempting to disrupt growing tourism and economic recovery.
With the CCS meeting scheduled and border forces on high alert, India is likely to adopt a calibrated but firm approach. Military analysts suggest the next 48–72 hours could be critical in shaping the response.
