India has entered a state of heightened military and diplomatic alert after the brutal Pahalgam terror attack killed 26 civilians, prompting PM Narendra Modi to hold back-to-back meetings with the chiefs of Army, Navy, and Air Force.
As tensions with Pakistan escalate, India has suspended visas, shut airspace, and cancelled the Indus Waters Treaty. The Air Force chief’s recent meeting with PM Modi signals the seriousness of the situation, as national defence establishments brace for a potential response.
PM Holds Series of Defence Meetings After Attack
Terrorists attacked a group of tourists on April 22 in Baisaran valley, close to Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. They requested the victims to read out the Kalma, a religious affirmation of belief in Islam. When some did not, they were shot point-blank. Twenty-six persons, including a Nepali citizen, were killed.
In turn, PM Narendra Modi immediately initiated consultations with national security and military officials. On April 26, he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. He gave the armed forces a “free hand” to act.
Air Force, Navy, Army Chiefs Brief PM Separately
Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh called on PM Modi at his residence for 40 minutes at noon on May 3. In the evening, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi also met the Prime Minister for an hour.
Earlier, on April 30, PM Modi received Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande. These one-to-one meetings indicate India’s desire to keep all military options available.
India Rises Defence Posture
While military talks go on, India has made belligerent diplomatic moves. It downgraded relations with Pakistan, cancelled all Pakistani visas, and suspended the Indus Waters Treaty. Access to Pakistani airlines in airspace was also denied.
On the ground, the Ordnance Factory Board cancelled all leave for employees, which meant higher defence readiness across the nation.
Pakistan Strikes Back with Diplomatic Retaliation
Fearing Indian retaliation, Pakistan has issued tit-for-tat countermeasures. It suspended the Simla Agreement, a foundational bilateral framework signed after the 1971 war. The Pahalgam terror attack points to a frightening trend.
Unlike earlier military or police installations, in this attack, unarmed civilians—many of whom are tourists—were the intended targets. That is an alarming trend where civilian locales are no longer exempt from such attacks, adding another layer of intricacy in counter-terror operations.
PM Modi pledged that his administration will “hunt down the attackers and their sponsors to the ends of the earth.” With all three defence chiefs nowSet featured image informed, a concerted military and diplomatic response seems imminent.
