Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday called for urgent video conference with chief ministers, DGPs and chief secretaries of states bordering Pakistan, Nepal in view of the escalating border tension.
The decision to convene the meeting came hours after the Indian Armed Forces launched 'Operation Sindoor' in the wee hours of Wednesday targeting nine terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The attack was launched in a retaliatory action against the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 people.
The hideouts included Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) base Muridke which they said is a retaliatory action after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians on April 22.
Shah on Wednesday said the 'Operation Sindoor' is Bharat's response to the brutal killings of innocent people in Pahalgam.
The home minister said the Modi government is resolved to give a befitting response to any attack on India and its people and Bharat remains firmly committed to eradicating terrorism from its roots.
"Proud of our armed forces. #OperationSindoor is Bharat바카라™s response to the brutal killing of our innocent brothers in Pahalgam," he wrote on 'X'.
The Defence Ministry's initial statement since the attack confirmed the launch of the operation. "A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched 'Operation Sindoor' hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed", it said.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed at the press conference on Wednesday morning that more than 80 terrorists linked to banned outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in the precision strikes in Pakistan and PoK.
Misri added that military action was "focused, measured and non-escalatory" in nature and no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.
