Retaliation Looms: Following intense security deliberations and public outrage, India’s armed forces are on high alert for a strike against cross-border terror network even as the NIA was reconstructing the Pahalgam crime scene to build a watertight case against Paksitsan
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, Apr 30 — India’s military response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack appears imminent as the national security establishment gears up for potential strikes against cross-border terror infrastructure in Pakistan. Over the past 24 hours, a flurry of high-level meetings in the national capital has signaled a firm resolve to retaliate decisively.
On April 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired back-to-back meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), followed by a full Cabinet session—marking the second CCS meeting since the terror attack.
The CCS meeting was also attended by Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. In the meeting, the Prime Minister reportedly gave the armed forces a “free hand” to determine the timing, target, and nature of India’s response.
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The signal from the top is unambiguous. Speaking earlier in Bihar, PM Modi declared: “The enemies of peace will be punished. Revenge will be taken; those behind the Pahalgam attack will not be spared.”
The Prime Minister’s remarks echoed growing public anger over the April 22 attack in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, in which several Indian soldiers and civilians were killed in a suspected Pakistan-backed ambush.
Meetings of the CCEA, CCPA, and Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) are presided over by PM Modi. CCS: Among those in attendance were HM Shah, RM Rajnath Singh, EAM Jaishankar, FM Sitharaman, NSA Ajit Doval, and other high-ranking officials.
–The PM will chair the Full Cabinet… pic.twitter.com/sPmxMZ8XLK
— Kalki🇮🇳 (@kalki32) April 30, 2025
Simultaneously, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan chaired a parallel meeting with the heads of three paramilitary forces and top officials from key intelligence agencies, further indicating that internal security apparatuses are being mobilized in coordination with the military.
Pakistan’s Claim:
Pakistan has alleged that it possesses “credible intelligence” indicating India may launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours, amid rising tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack. At a hastily convened 2 a.m. press conference, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar issued a stark warning of “catastrophic consequences” should India proceed with any offensive action.
“We have intelligence-based information that India is planning a military operation against Pakistan in the next 24 to 36 hours,” Tarar said in a video message posted online. “Any such aggression will be met with full force.”
The minister emphasized Pakistan’s readiness to defend its sovereignty, asserting, “The nation will defend its territorial integrity at all costs. If India initiates war, it alone will bear the devastating consequences.”
Denying any role in the April 22 massacre in Baisaran, Jammu and Kashmir—which claimed the lives of at least 26 civilians—Tarar accused India of fabricating allegations. “No evidence has been provided to substantiate claims of Pakistan’s involvement. These are baseless and concocted accusations,” he said.
“India’s pattern of acting as judge, jury, and executioner is firmly and categorically rejected,” he added.
Tarar’s remarks come as ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops continue for a sixth consecutive night along the Line of Control, further inflaming tensions with Indian forces deployed at the sensitive border
Escalation at the Border
Meanwhile, Pakistan has violated the ceasefire for the sixth consecutive night, drawing swift retaliation from the Indian Army. The repeated violations have intensified pressure on New Delhi to act, both militarily and diplomatically.
Sources say India is also working to shape global opinion against Pakistan, with efforts underway to present compiled video evidence of the Pahalgam attack to expose Islamabad’s involvement. The government plans to release the footage as a consolidated narrative to strengthen its case on international platforms.
NIA Reconstructs Crime Scene in Baisaran
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has taken over the case from Jammu and Kashmir Police, has dispatched a team to recreate the crime scene at Baisaran Valley. The investigators are also reviewing forensic and material evidence at the site to strengthen the legal case and intelligence leads.
