New Delhi, April 29 – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the country’s armed forces full freedom to determine the timing and nature of a military response to a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 civilians last week, government sources said on Tuesday.
The April 22 attack in Pahalgam was claimed by The Resistance Front, a proxy of the Pakistan-based banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Indian intelligence agencies have indicated Pakistan’s involvement, and diplomats from several countries — including the United States, Russia, China, and Japan — have been briefed on the evidence, according to the sources.
Modi met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan to convey his directive. He reportedly reaffirmed India’s commitment to “deal a crushing blow to terrorism” and expressed complete confidence in the armed forces.
The Cabinet Committee on Security, India’s top national security body, is set to meet again this week — its second such session in seven days — underscoring the gravity of the situation.
In response to the attack, New Delhi has already implemented a series of diplomatic and administrative actions targeting Pakistan. These include revoking all visas issued to Pakistani nationals — except for Pakistani Hindus and long-term residents — and suspending medical visas. Nearly 1,000 Pakistani citizens have reportedly exited India since the order was enforced.
India has also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 agreement that governs water sharing between the two countries. Pakistan has denounced the move as an “act of war” and retaliated by revoking visas for Indian nationals and suspending bilateral pacts, including the Simla Agreement.
In public remarks, Modi vowed that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack would be held accountable. “The time has come to raze whatever is left of the terror haven,” he said, in a statement widely interpreted as directed at Pakistan. Home Minister Amit Shah has also instructed Indian states to identify and deport all remaining Pakistani nationals.
Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors remain high. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said in comments to Geo News that the next few days would be “crucial” amid fears of escalation.
