Amid heightened tensions over Pahalgam attack, IAF chief meets PM Modi

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Sunday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the backdrop of increasing tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack.

This comes just a day after PM Modi met with Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi. The Navy Chief briefed the PM on the overall situation in the critical sea lanes in the Arabian Sea.

The meetings assume significance as the last major terror attack at Pulwama in February 2019 was responded to by the Indian Air Force, with jets bombing Balakot in Pakistan.

Since then, the prowess of the IAF—both in terms of long-range missiles and air defence—has grown significantly. The Rafale jets inducted after Balakot are equipped with missiles capable of hitting targets with pin-point accuracy. Additionally, the Russian-made S-400 air defence system can track and target multiple threats.

The Prime Minister, at the meeting with the Chief of the IAF, and also at Saturday’s meeting with the Navy Chief, would be reviewing various options that India can exercise in response to the April 22 terror attack at Pahalgam.

Earlier this week, US Vice-President JD Vance, in an interview with media outlet Fox News, said, “We hope that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn’t lead to a broader regional conflict.”

He also advised Pakistan, stating, “Frankly, we also hope that Pakistan, to the extent it is responsible, cooperates with India to ensure that terrorists, who sometimes operate from its territory, are hunted down.”

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