PM Modi gives ‘free hand’ to armed forces to respond to Pahalgam terror attack

Affirming that it is India’s “national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Indian armed forces have his full confidence and “complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets and timing” of India’s response in the aftermath of last week’s terror attack at Pahalgam that left 26 people dead.The Prime Minister is reported to have said this during a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Air Force Chief Air Marshal A.P. Singh, and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi. The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s residence on Tuesday.Government sources said that high level huddle was held a day before PM Modi is set to preside over a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, the second such meeting after the Pahalgam attack.