Pahalgam Terror Attack: Rajnath Singh Chairs High-Level Meeting

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead. Sources said the nearly two-and-a-half-hour meeting was attended by NSA Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh.

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai too joined the meeting. The meeting discussed all possible aspects of the situation that emerged following the dastardly attack, the sources said declining to share further details.

It is learnt that Singh directed the armed forces to enhance their combat readiness and increase intensity of anti-terror operations. In the meeting, Army Chief Gen Dwivedi presented a detailed overview of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir including deployment of his forces. Strongly condemning the terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said those behind the "heinous act" will be brought to justice.

Several meetings on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir have taken place since Tuesday's terror attack in Pahalgam. Prime Minister Modi returned to New Delhi this morning after cutting short his two-day trip to Saudi Arabia. Home Minister Amit Shah rushed to Srinagar on Tuesday evening to spearhead the security measures. Shortly after landing in Delhi, Modi held a meeting with NSA Doval, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.