NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a meeting of the National Security Council following heightened tensions with Pakistan. The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Besides the union ministers, NSA Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhle were also present.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the National Security Council in New Delhi this evening, the PMO said.


The NSA is tasked with advising the prime minister on matters of national security. It was set up by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1998, with Brajesh Mishra as the first National Security Advisor (NSA). The NSC keeps meeting on regular basis but the latest meet assumes significance owing to the latest security scenario.

Tension has been building up between the two nuclear-armed neighbours since the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF troopers were martyred when an explosives-laden car, driven by a Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) terrorist, rammed into their convoy.

India retaliated on February 26 through a deep strike by IAF Mirage fighter jets at JeM terror facilities in Balakot, where training was imparted to recruits to carry out suicide attacks.

In response to India's air strike, Pakistan air force intruded into Indian territory, leading to a confrontation between the two forces.

Meanwhile, the social media was filled with reports on Sunday that JeM Masood Azhar had died. Intelligence agencies, however, were trying to ascertain reports.

Intense speculation made the rounds about Masood Azhar's whereabouts on Sunday with a report of him getting killed in the bombardment by Indian Air Force (IAF) on a terror camp in Balakot going viral, but there was no confirmation from any authoritative sources.

(With inputs from agencies)