PM Modi gives armed forces free hand on response against Pakistan for Pahalgam terror attack

NEW DELHI: Amid growing indications of a retaliation against the Pahalgam terror attack, PM Narendra Modi is learned to have given complete operational freedom to the armed forces to decide on the mode, targets and timing of response to Pakistan.

Sources said he expressed full faith and confidence in the professional abilities of the forces and conveyed his go-ahead at a meeting with defence minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and the three service chiefs.

After the huddle, Modi met home minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who had last week said that "dharma" required India to punish the enemy.

The PM convened a meeting, the second since the Pahalgam attack, of the cabinet committee on security on Wednesday, when other important bodies - cabinet committees on political and economic affairs and the full Union Cabinet - are also scheduled to meet.

Earlier in the day, the PM had boosted expectations of an early response to Pakistan with his "samay seemit hai, lakshya bade hain (we have limited time, and high goals to achieve)" remark at an education conclave.

PM clarification fails to dampen anticipation of India response

As the audience broke into applause, Modi paused briefly and said, “I’m not speaking about the current situation.”

The clarification, however, did little to dampen the surging anticipation of an effective response, something that Pakistan also appeared reconciled to, on an action-filled day which saw Union home secretary Govind Mohan discussing preparedness with the chiefs of the three services. The heavy agenda for the members of the Union Cabinet for Wednesday also appeared to be putting across a “business-as-usual” reassurance.