New Delhi: During a significant security meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the armed forces possess complete operational autonomy to choose the method, targets, and timing of India’s response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals, primarily tourists.
News agency PTI reported that PM Modi emphasized, ‘Our national commitment is to deliver a decisive blow to terrorism.’ He expressed unwavering trust in the armed forces’ professionalism, stating, ‘They have full operational freedom to determine the approach, targets, and timing of our response,’ as quoted by a source to PTI.
This meeting took place one day before the Cabinet Committee on Security, the government’s top decision-making body regarding national security, was set to convene. On Monday, Rajnath Singh updated PM Modi on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir as senior defence officials considered measures to hold accountable those responsible for the April 22 attack, the deadliest assault on civilians in India since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
In his recent ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address, the Prime Minister emphasized that the ‘perpetrators and conspirators’ of the Pahalgam attack would face the ‘harshest response.’ He assured the affected families that justice would be served, stating, ‘The entire world stands with 140 crore Indians in our fight against terrorism.’
