May 6, 2025
NEW DELHI – Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Home Secretary Govind Mohan, raising speculation about India’s counter-offensive plans.
Earlier in the day, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh also met the Prime Minister. These meetings assume significance as they follow closely on the heels of discussions PM Modi held with Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Sunday and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Saturday.
This series of high-level consultations is seen as critical amid growing conjecture about the strategic response India may be planning, in line with the country’s declared resolve to deliver a decisive blow to terrorism.
It is learned that during his meeting with the Defence Secretary, the Prime Minister was briefed on developments along the Line of Control (LoC), where Pakistan has continued unprovoked firing for the 11th consecutive night.
Reports indicate that during the night of May 4–5, small arms fire was directed from posts opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani, and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army responded promptly to the firing.
On Saturday, Navy Chief Admiral Tripathi had also briefed the Prime Minister on the security situation across critical maritime zones in the Arabian Sea.
Last fortnight, PM Modi had met with the chiefs of all three armed forces and assured them of his full confidence and support, granting them “complete operational freedom to decide the mode, targets, and timing” of India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
These developments come in the backdrop of Pakistan’s recent test of its Abdali surface-to-surface ballistic missile, with a range of 450 km. The missile was tested on Saturday during Pakistan’s military drill ‘Exercise INDUS’.
