Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday gave the Indian armed forces full operational freedom to determine the “mode, targets and timing of India’s response” to the Pahalgam terror attack.

During a high-level security review meeting with defence minister Rajnath Singh, national security adviser Ajit Doval and the chiefs of the tri-services, Modi said it was “our national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism”.

Modi separately met home minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Bhagwat drove to the Prime Minister's residence, a rare gesture from the RSS chief.

“The Prime Minister asked the tri-services chiefs to remain fully prepared and determine the mode, targets and timing of India’s response,” a source said.

India has alleged “cross-border linkages” to the Pahalgam terror attack and promised the harshest punishment for those responsible. Islamabad has denied any role in the massacre, which claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local ponywallah.

Sources in the security establishment said the meeting was called by the country’s top leadership to discuss “India’s response” to the terror strike.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan was also present at the meeting.

On Sunday, Modi had said the “blood of every Indian is boiling” and, for the second time in three days, promised the harshest punishment for the Pahalgam attackers and plotters.

During the meeting on Tuesday, the sources said Modi asked the tri-services chiefs to prepare a comprehensive report on the kinds of response the armed forces could give to the adversary.

“India is considering a range of retaliatory military options against Pakistan, including targeting militant training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and carrying out strikes across the LoC,” the source said.

“The top leadership wants India’s response to be swift and adequate and one that must be tackled efficiently in case of any retaliation from the adversary,” an Intelligence Bureau official said.

The officer added: “Everything, including surgical strikes in PoK and attacks on militant camps and Pakistani army posts that have been engaged in aiding the infiltration of terrorists, figured during the meeting.”

Though no official statement was issued after the meeting, sources said Modi lent his ear to all options.

The meeting came a day after Rajnath briefed Modi on India’s “operational readiness” along the frontier with Pakistan.

Earlier on Tuesday, Union home secretary Govind Mohan chaired a multi-agency security meeting attended by the chiefs of three paramilitary forces and senior officers of two other security organisations, sources said. There was no official word on the agenda. It was not immediately known what transpired in the meeting.

The director-general of the Border Security Force, Daljit Singh Chaudhary; National Security Guard DG Brighu Srinivasan; Assam Rifles DG, Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera; and additional director-general of the Sashastra Seema Bal, Anupama Nilekar Chandra, attended the meeting, sources said.

The BSF guards the international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, the SSB secures the frontier with Nepal, the Assam Rifles protects the border with Myanmar, and the NSG is a commando force specialising in anti-terror operations.

Modi will also hold a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting on Wednesday, the second since the Pahalgam attack. He will review the security preparedness in the wake of the attack.

The CCS — the country’s highest decision-making body on national security — will hold the meeting around 11am. After the meeting, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) will also meet under Modi’s chairmanship.

Besides Modi, the CCPA has Rajnath, Shah, road transport minister Nitin Gadkari, health minister J.P. Nadda, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other senior ministers. The Cabinet Economic Affairs Committee will meet thereafter, followed by a cabinet meeting, the sources said.

In its last meeting on Thursday, two days after the Pahalgam massacre, the CCS had announced action against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, a crucial water-sharing agreement with Islamabad.