NSA Ajit Doval has revealed PM Modi’s uncompromising directive after the Pahalgam terror attack, saying India would pursue those responsible “wherever they are”
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has revealed the message Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave security officials following the Pahalgam terror attack — a directive that helped shape India’s response under Operation Sindoor.
In his first televised remarks on the military operation, Doval recalled PM Modi telling officials: “Zameen mein ho, aasmaan mein ho, paataal mein ho, jahan bhi, we will go after them.”
The remarks feature in the docuseries Declassified Operation Sindoor | The Untold Story, which brings together accounts from senior military and security officials involved in India’s response to the Pahalgam attack.
PM Modi’s clear message after Pahalgam
The April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed, triggered a major escalation in India’s counter-terror response.
According to Doval, the Prime Minister’s message was clear: those responsible for the attack had to be pursued regardless of where they were hiding.
The directive underscored the government’s determination to respond beyond conventional geographical or diplomatic constraints and bring the perpetrators and planners of terrorism to justice.
Operation Sindoor strikes terror infrastructure
India subsequently launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The operation was aimed at dismantling terrorist camps and training facilities linked to the networks behind the Pahalgam attack. Following India’s strikes, tensions escalated further as Pakistan responded, before a ceasefire was reached.
Former Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi also recalled that Pakistan was given a clear message that talks and terror cannot go together.
Military chiefs recount Operation Sindoor
The docuseries features accounts from several senior officials who were directly involved in Operation Sindoor, including former Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, former Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, who served as Director General of Military Operations during the operation.
The series provides an account of the planning and execution of the operation while highlighting the military, diplomatic and strategic measures adopted by India.
‘A new dimension’ to India’s response
PM Modi had earlier described Operation Sindoor as more than just the name of a military campaign, saying it represented the country’s resolve to seek justice for the victims of the Pahalgam attack.
Doval’s latest account offers a glimpse into the thinking behind that response, with the NSA’s recollection suggesting that the government’s objective was to ensure that geographical boundaries did not shield those responsible for terrorism.
The operation subsequently became a major demonstration of India’s willingness to combine military action with diplomatic and strategic measures in response to cross-border terrorism.
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