Indian Defence Secretary meets PM Modi amid tension with Pakistan

By Hariharan S (Hindustan Times), May 5: Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid ongoing developments post the April 22 Pahalgam attack. The meeting comes after the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, and the Navy Chief, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, met the Prime Minister and briefed him about the armed forces' operational preparedness.

On Monday, the Pakistan army violated the ceasefire along several sectors across the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border in Jammu. A statement from the Indian army accused Pakistani troops of resorting to unprovoked small arms fire across these regions. “Indian Army responded promptly and proportionately,” it added.

Pahalgam terror attack: Key updates

• Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, visited Pakistan on Monday to try and de-escalate the country's tensions with India after the terror attack in Pahalgam, news agency AP reported.

• Araghchi will meet his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, as well as President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan's foreign ministry did not give further details. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told reporters that “Pakistan is presenting its case to friendly countries.”

• Also on Monday, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold “closed consultations” after Pakistan, a non-permanent member, requested them to discuss escalating tensions with India after the Pahalgam terror attack. Greece, which holds the UNSC presidency for May, welcomed the discussions as an opportunity to defuse tensions between the two countries. Islamabad will be heading the council for the month of July as per the rotating presidency norm.

• In Pakistan, the federal government and the military on Sunday briefed all political parties on the current state of bilateral relations with India, the Dawn reported. Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party also attended the briefing virtually.

• According to the report, all political parties vowed a robust response if India resorted to any “misadventure.”

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also assured the country of a response while speaking at an event. “As a defence minister, it is my responsibility to ensure the security of the country's borders along with my soldiers. It is my responsibility to give a befitting reply to those who dare to attack our country,” he said.

• The Centre also proceeded with implementing one of its retaliatory measures—suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. HT reported that India has cut off water flow to Pakistan from the Baglihar dam on the Chenab river and is also preparing to taper down runoffs from the Kishanganga project on the Jhelum, following through on its decisions not to allow a “single drop” to go to Pakistan from the Indus rivers.