Amid rapidly escalating tensions with Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened meetings with the three service chiefs. This comes in the wake of heightened cross-border activity and a recent large-scale coordinated drone and missile attack launched by Pakistan, which India claims to have successfully thwarted.
The meetings, held on Friday, May 9, 2025, underscore the gravity of the situation and the Indian government's commitment to a firm response. These discussions follow closely after India conducted precision military strikes on what it asserts were terrorist infrastructure locations within Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The strikes, dubbed #OperationSindoor, were reportedly in retaliation for a terror attack in Pahalgam that resulted in the deaths of 26 people.
Sources indicate that during the meeting with the service chiefs, Prime Minister Modi was briefed on the current security situation along the border, as well as the operational readiness of the Indian armed forces. In response to Pakistan's attempts to target Indian military installations, including those in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, India has reportedly neutralized an air defense site in Lahore. Indian forces are said to have employed the S-400 missile defense system and HARPY drones to counter the threats.
The situation remains tense, with reports of heavy artillery shelling from Pakistan and continued ceasefire violations. Blackouts have been enforced in several cities across Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan, including Jammu, Bikaner, Jalandhar, and Amritsar. Loud explosions have also been reported in border towns such as Jaisalmer.
In addition to the meetings with the service chiefs, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also held a high-level meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff and the three service chiefs to review the security situation and operational preparedness. He is expected to meet with PM Modi soon after.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Modi has been in contact with the Chief Ministers of border states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir, to assess the situation on the ground. These conversations highlight the coordinated effort between the central government and state authorities to manage the escalating tensions and ensure the safety and security of citizens in the border regions.
The government has also held an all-party meeting to brief political parties on the situation and the actions taken. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed those in attendance that Operation Sindoor is still ongoing and has resulted in the death of over 100 terrorists. It has also been reported that PM Modi granted the armed forces full operational freedom to respond to the Pahalgam terror attack. The recent developments mark a significant escalation in the long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan, with potential implications for regional stability.