Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting with the top defence establishment over the Pahalgam terror attack, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the chiefs of three services.
The heads of the three services of the Indian Armed Forces - 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 were part of the meeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting with the top defence establishment over the Pahalgam terror attack, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the chiefs of three services.
The meeting is held amid India weighing its countermeasures following the Pahalgam terror attack which left at least 26 civilians, mostly tourists, dead.
PM Modi earlier 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.
The heads of the three services of the Indian Armed Forces - 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 were part of the meeting.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, people familiar with the matter said.
PM Modi expressed complete faith and confidence in the professional abilities of the armed forces.
"They have complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets and timing of our response," a source quoted Modi as saying.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan was also part of the meeting, which was held amid India weighing its options for countermeasures following the Pahalgam terror attack which left at least 26 civilians, mostly tourists, 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 the harshest punishment on them "beyond their imagination".
On Sunday, the prime minister said the "perpetrators and conspirators" of the Pahalgam attack will be "served with the harshest response".
"The whole world stands with 140 crore Indians in our fight against terrorism. I once again assure the affected families that they will get justice, and justice will be done," PM Modi said in his 'Mann ki Baat' address.
"The perpetrators and conspirators of this attack will be served with the harshest response," he said.
After the terror attack, India announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan on Wednesday, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the only operation land border crossing at Attari and downgrading of diplomatic ties In response, Pakistan on Thursday shut its airspace to Indian airliners and suspended all trade with India, including through third countries.
Pakistan rejected India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and said any move to stop the flow of water would be seen as an "act of war".
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week for skipping the all-party meeting on the Pahalgam terror attack and accused the BJP of creating divisions in the country.
Kharge said that in this hour of crisis, everyone wants to fight together, "but the BJP wants to spread venom and divide people".
"It is the misfortune of the country.... Leaders of all parties attended the all-party meeting, but it is a matter of shame that PM Modi did not come... the country's pride was hurt, you (PM Modi) were giving an election speech in Bihar," Kharge said at the 'Samvidhan Bachao' rally here.
He said the Congress had decided to support the government in its action as the country is supreme.