Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said it is his responsibility to work with the armed forces and give a "befitting reply" to those who cast an evil eye on India, his remarks coming in the backdrop of the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

Addressing an event here, Singh said people know Prime Minister Narendra Modi very well and are quite familiar with his working style, his determination and the way he has learned to "take risks" in his life.

"I want to assure you that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, what you desire will certainly happen," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said, without elaborating.

His assertion, however, came as India is mulling retaliatory measures against Pakistan in view of the cross-border linkages to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that has killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

"As the defence minister, it is my responsibility to work with my soldiers and ensure the protection of the country's borders. And it is my responsibility to give a befitting reply, by working with the armed forces, to those who cast an evil eye on our country," Singh said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan are on the rise following the Pahalgam attack.

Addressing an event here on April 23, a day after the terror strike, Singh had said, "The government will take every step that is necessary and appropriate." "We will not only trace those who perpetrated this incident, we will also reach out to those who, sitting behind the scene, have conspired to carry out the nefarious act on Indian soil," he had said.

Those involved in the attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam will get a strong response in the "near future" and India cannot be "intimidated" by such terrorist activities, the defence minister had asserted.

The terror strike has drawn condemnation from several countries and world leaders.

Citing the "cross-border linkages" to the horrific attack, India has promised severe punishment to those involved in it.

New Delhi has already asserted that the "perpetrators, backers and planners" of the Pahalgam attack must be brought to justice.

At a high-level meeting with the top defence brass on Tuesday, the prime minister said the armed forces have "complete operational freedom" to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the terror strike, according to government sources.

The prime minister also affirmed that it is a national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism, the sources said after the meeting.

India on April 23 announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down the only operational land-border crossing between the two countries at Punjab's Attari and downgrading diplomatic ties in view of the cross-border links to the attack.

On Sunday, Singh was addressing a gathering at the "Sanatan Sanskriti Jagran Mahotsav" here.

Hailing the role of seers and spiritual leaders in "protecting the soul of a country", he said a soldier fights in the "ranbhoomi" (battlefield), while a seer fights in the "jeevanbhomi" (field of life).

Singh asserted that India's power lines not only in its armed forces, but also in its culture and spirituality.

This is a land that is known for a warrior like Arjuna, but it also gave a saint like Lord Buddha to the world, he said.

"It is a nation where a sword is purified with meditation ('tapasya')," he said.

Singh emphasised that to achieve the goal of "Viksit Bharat" (developed India) by 2047, the country will have to become strong in every way.

"We will become truly Viksit Bharat if we become strong economically as well as spiritually and culturally," he said. PTI KND RC

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