Pahalgam Attack: PM Modi Gives Armed Forces Full Freedom to Decide Mode and Timing of Response

At a key security meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s resolve to crush terrorism, empowering the forces to choose when and how to retaliate.

April 29, 2025: PM Modi’s Big Message on Pahalgam Attack: Forces Free to Decide How and When to Hit Back

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed complete confidence in the professionalism of India’s armed forces, granting them full operational freedom to determine the mode, targets, and timing of India’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

Also Read:PM Modi Chairs High-Level Meet With Rajnath Singh, NSA Doval Amid Kashmir Security Crisis

Chairing a high-level security meeting at his residence, PM Modi reaffirmed, “It is our national resolve to deliver a crushing blow to terrorism.”

Present at the meeting were Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Also Read: Viral Video: Jagmeet Singh Breaks Down, Resigns, After Crushing Defeat in Canada Polls

Sources said Modi made it clear that the forces are empowered to act with complete operational autonomy. “They have full freedom to decide how and when they wish to respond,” a senior official quoted him as saying.

The meeting was convened to assess India’s response options following the deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, for which the Pakistan-backed terror group The Resistance Front has claimed responsibility.

Also Read: Kashmir on High Alert: Four Counter-Terror Operations Underway After Pahalgam Attack

‘Punishment Beyond Their Imagination’

Earlier, PM Modi had vowed that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack, and those aiding them, would face punishment “beyond their imagination.” He directly pointed to Pakistan’s long history of sponsoring terrorism against India, promising swift justice.

This approach mirrors previous Indian responses, such as the 2016 surgical strikes following the Uri attack and the 2019 Balakot airstrike after the Pulwama tragedy.

In addition to military considerations, India has taken several diplomatic steps against Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty—a critical water-sharing agreement—after the Pahalgam killings.

Earlier on Tuesday, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan chaired another high-level meeting with the chiefs of paramilitary forces and senior intelligence officers. Though the agenda was not officially disclosed, it focused on national security coordination.

As India braces for possible escalation, PM Modi’s message signals a decisive and measured approach: firm in intent, yet calculated in execution.

Tags:

PM Modi, Pahalgam Attack, India Pakistan tensions, terrorism in Kashmir, Indian Armed Forces, Rajnath Singh, Ajit Doval, CDS Anil Chauhan, Pahalgam terror attack response, India news