'National resolve to deal crushing blow to terrorism, armed forces have full freedom to decide how & when': Modi

New Delhi: As India weighs its options on its countermeasures following the Pahalgam terror strike, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told the military leadership that the armed forces have 'complete operational freedom' to decide 'mode, targets, timing' of New Delhi’s response, as the “national resolve” is to deal a “crushing blow” to terrorism.

Modi’s assertion came at a high-level meeting he held with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force, a day before the Cabinet Committee on Security is scheduled to meet for the second time in a week after the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people were killed.

There was no official word on the meeting, which also saw Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Aman Preet Singh briefing the Prime Minister on the current situation.

Expressing “complete faith and confidence in the professional abilities” of the armed forces, sources said the Prime Minister told the military leadership that they have “complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets and timing of our response”. He said the “national resolve” is to deal a “crushing blow” to terrorism.

Separately, Home Minister Amit Shah also met Modi.

In the past one week, the Prime Minister has made it clear on two occasions – at a public meeting in Bihar and his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast – that India will track and hunt down the terrorists involved in the gruesome terror strike and their patron, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.

After the first CCS meeting on April 23, the government suspended the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, revoked visas of Pakistani nationals and set a deadline for leaving the country except for a few categories, and downgraded diplomatic ties.

On Tuesday, Modi said at a function that “time is limited, goal is big” but was quick to add that he was not referring to the present situation. Addressing the YUGM conference, he said, “we have set a time frame of the next 25 years for the goal of a developed India. We have limited time; the goals are big. I am not saying it is for the present situation.”

The Modi government had carried out surgical strikes inside Pakistan after the terror attack on army soldiers in Uri in 2016 and the Balakot air strike after the killings of CRPF personnel in Pulwama.

Separately, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan held a high-level meeting with chiefs of three paramilitary forces and senior officers of two other security organisations. What transpired in the meeting was not known.

BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chaudhary, his NSG counterpart Brighu Srinivasan, Assam Rifles head Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera and SSB Additional Director General Anupama Nilekar Chandra among others attended the meeting.