Indian Army Given Full Freedom to Retaliate After Kashmir Terror Attack – PM Narendra Modi

Indian Army Given Full Freedom to Retaliate After Kashmir Terror Attack – PM Narendra Modi

On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan, and the chiefs of the three armed forces. In this meeting, PM Modi granted the Indian military "full operational freedom" to decide how, where, and when to respond to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.

Government sources said that during the meeting, Prime Minister Modi stated, "A strong response against terrorism is our national resolve." He expressed full confidence in the professionalism and capability of the Indian Armed Forces and emphasized his complete trust in the military to handle the situation effectively.

The Prime Minister also declared that the terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack — and their backers, with a clear indication towards Pakistan — "will be hunted down to the ends of the earth and given a punishment beyond their imagination."

The April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, most of whom were tourists. It is considered one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in recent years. The brutality of the incident has sparked nationwide outrage and calls for a strong retaliatory response.

PM Modi’s strong message aligns with his government’s aggressive national security posture and has fueled speculation about a potential military or diplomatic response.

India has previously responded to major terrorist attacks with military action — notably, the surgical strikes following the 2016 Uri attack and the airstrikes in Balakot after the 2019 Pulwama attack.

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, the Indian government has suspended several significant bilateral engagements with Pakistan, including cooperation under the Indus Waters Treaty.

Earlier on Tuesday, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan also held a high-level security meeting with the chiefs of three paramilitary forces and senior officials from two other security agencies. While the official agenda of the meeting has not been disclosed, it is believed to be part of India’s broader response planning.