After Chief of Naval staff, IAF Chief meets PM Modi amid rising tensions with Pakistan

Guwahati, May 4: Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the cowardly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

While no official statement has been issued about the meeting, press reports suggest that discussions centred on India's response to the attack, which has sharpened diplomatic and security fault lines between the two nations.

The Air Force Chief’s meeting with the Prime Minister comes less than 24 hours after Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, also met with PM Modi—underscoring the seriousness with which the government is weighing its next steps.

Reports said the meeting with Air Chief Marshal Singh was part of an ongoing strategic review that also included discussions on air defence readiness and inter-service coordination for any potential response.

These successive meetings reflect the Centre’s heightened focus on India's security preparedness following the April 22 attack, widely attributed to Pakistan-backed terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The engagement with Admiral Tripathi, similarly, was seen as part of broader maritime security planning and tri-service deliberations.

Meanwhile, the ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control (LoC) continued for the 10th consecutive day on Sunday. Indian forces responded proportionately, maintaining vigilance along the tense border regions in Jammu and Kashmir.

Following the Pahalgam incident, the Centre affirmed its resolve to deliver a “crushing blow” to terrorism.

It stated that those responsible for the attack—and the conspirators behind them—will face severe consequences. The armed forces have been given full operational freedom to determine the mode, timing, and targets of India's response.

Meanwhile, the diplomatic standoff has spilled over into trade and logistics. On Saturday, India announced sweeping punitive measures against Pakistan, including a complete ban on the import of Pakistani goods and the entry of Pakistani vessels into Indian ports.

The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) confirmed that Indian ships are now also barred from visiting any Pakistani port.

Additionally, India has suspended the exchange of mail and parcels via air and surface routes from Pakistan, further intensifying the freeze in bilateral engagement.

In retaliation, Islamabad issued a counter-ban late Saturday, prohibiting Indian-flagged ships from docking at its ports and barring Pakistani vessels from accessing Indian ports.

Although a 200% duty imposed on Pakistani imports after the 2019 Pulwama attack had already crippled direct trade, the latest measures target goods routed through third countries as well.

According to the government, the ban is grounded in national security and public policy considerations.

--With inputs from agencies