Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asserted that the armed forces have complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
The prime minister, while chairing a crucial meeting with the top defence establishment, expressed complete faith and confidence in the professional abilities of the armed forces.
During the meeting at his residence in the national capital, PM Modi affirmed that it is the national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism, sources said.
The meeting was chaired by PM Modi and attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan. The meeting, which comes in the wake of Pahalgam terror attacks, was also attended by the chiefs of the three services: Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staf Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Chief of Air Staff Amar Preet Singh.
During the hour-and-a-half-long meeting, Prime Minister Modi gave the armed forces a free hand to take operational decisions.
The meeting comes amid speculations of escalation between India and Pakistan even as New Delhi weighs its countermeasures following the Pahalgam attack, which left 26 people dead.
Modi has vowed to pursue the terrorists behind the attack and their patrons, a clear reference to Pakistan which has a history of sponsoring terror strikes in India, to the ends of earth and inflict harshest punishment on them.
Earlier in the day, a high-level meeting was held in the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was attended by several officials, including Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Director Generals of Border Security Force, Assam Rifles and National Security Guard.
PM Modi has also called a Union Cabinet meeting at 11 am on Wednesday. The meeting will be held for the first time since the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. There was no meeting of the Union Cabinet last week and only the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had met on April 23 and had condemned the terror attack.