Defence Secretary meets PM Modi amid tension with Pakistan

New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday amid tension with Pakistan and ongoing preparations for the country’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

During the meeting, Singh is believed to have briefed the Prime Minister about the latest security situation and military preparations, especially on the western frontier.

Sources said that response in the event of a multi-front engagement and measures to ensure uninterrupted defence supplies have also come up for discussions that the PM Modi has held with the chiefs of forces and officials over the week.

PM Modi’s discussion with the top defence official came on a day when Russian President Vladimir Putin called him and "strongly condemned" the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, offering "full support" to India in its ongoing fight against terrorism.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also held bilateral talks with his Japanese counterpart General Nakatani during the days, as Tokyo reaffirmed its commitment to countering regional security threats, including terrorism.

On Sunday, PM Modi had met Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, completing his engagement with the chiefs of all three forces to fine-tune the response to the April 22 attack, which left 26 dead.

The meeting came against the backdrop of rising tensions along the Line of Control (LoC), where Pakistan has been violating the ceasefire for 11 consecutive days.

According to the Indian Army, Pakistani troops fired small arms without provocation during the night of May 4-5 in several areas, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Nowshera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor.

On Saturday, the Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi spoke with the Prime Minister on the situation in the northern Arabian Sea.

So far, India has taken a series of diplomatic measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and visa services for Pakistan nationals.

Additionally, the Integrated Check Post at Attari has been closed.

The Indian government also declared the Defence, Naval, and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission as persona non grata.

Lastly, the total diplomatic staff strength at both High Commissions has been reduced from 55 to 30, signalling a significant scaling down of bilateral engagement.

--IANS

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