‘I want it immediately’: NSA Ajit Doval reveals first question PM Modi asked after Pahalgam terror attack

In his first interview since Operation Sindoor last year, NSA Ajit Doval has shared details of the decisions that shaped India’s military response.

National security advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval said that the first thing Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to know following the Pahalgam terror attack was who was responsible, as he recalled the moments leading up to India’s Operation Sindoor in a new interview.

In an interview for the Discovery docuseries "Declassified: Operation Sindoor", Doval said the aim of the 88-hour military operation was to destroy enemy camps, especially those linked to the Pahalgam terror attack.

ALSO READ | ‘India can hit hard’: Doval recalls Op Sindoor, says our generosity, tolerance should not be seen as weakness

NSA Doval on Modi’s question over Pahalgam attack

In his first interview since Operation Sindoor last year, Doval has shared details of the decisions that shaped India’s military response.

The NSA recalled meeting PM Modi after he returned from Saudi Arabia, where he was when the Pahalgam terror attack took place. Modi had cut his visit short following the attack.

"The prime minister returned. The foreign secretary had come to receive him. Then, at the airport itself, we had a meeting. First, he wanted to know all the facts,” he said.

Doval said PM Modi wanted to know who was behind the attack and sought immediate details about those responsible.

“And then his first question to me was -- 'Who has done it? Who is responsible? We should be very clear who the perpetrators are. I want it immediately,” he said.

"The message to the world is very clear - India's generosity or India being tolerant should not be mistaken for its weakness. India can take risks, India can hit hard, irrespective of the consequences," he added.

What Doval said on Operation Sindoor planning and execution

He said India had decided that the operation would focus on destroying enemy camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), especially those linked to the Pahalgam attack.

He said India wanted the Pakistan army to understand that its “support to terrorism or inability to take effective action against the terrorists is something which is not tolerable to us,” news agency PTI reported.

‘We fight till last drop of blood’: NSA Ajit Doval

Pakistan later launched offensives against India, leading India to launch more counter-offensives, all carried out as part of Operation Sindoor. The conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours continued for nearly 88 hours before it ended after the two sides reached an understanding on the evening of May 10.

"Once anything starts, we are willing to go as far as it is necessary for a nation to preserve its sovereignty, and there are no limits on that. We fight till the last drop of blood," he said in the docuseries.

Doval added, "When the prime minister says that Operation Sindoor is alive, his intention is that the fight against terror will only be over till the last terrorist is eliminated."

Operation Sindoor

Operation Sindoor began early on May 7 last year as a response to the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. The Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes against several terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and PoK.

‘Declassified: Operation Sindoor’, the two-part docuseries, features India’s military and national security leadership as they recount the decisions and events surrounding Operation Sindoor. The docuseries will premiere on Saturday (August 15) at 9 pm on Discovery and its streaming service, discovery+.

With inputs from agencies

• 

  Aryan Mudgal is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly three years of experience. He is part of the digital news team at HT and enjoys covering day-to-day news and writing long, detailed explainers on key national and global affairs. He takes particular interest in reading and writing about Indian politics, crime, civic issues, as well as global affairs. He goes berserk when covering elections, especially Lok Sabha and assembly polls, and always looks out for fresh stories that could intrigue readers. At Hindustan Times, Aryan has covered various major events, including the Bihar assembly elections, Maharashtra civic polls, the US' military action in Venezuela, Union Budget, and Bangladesh elections. He has previously worked with the explainers team at Firstpost and the news desk at Times Network, covering a range of events including the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Israel–Hamas war, Russia-Ukraine war, Bangladesh’s student protests and Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, Delhi assembly elections, and more. He completed his bachelor’s degree in CEP (Communications & Media, English, and Psychology) from Christ University, Bengaluru, and later pursued a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). He hails from Siliguri in West Bengal and enjoys reading about politics and day-to-day issues concerning the state. Outside of work, Aryan loves listening to music and enjoys rewatching his favourite comfort shows.Read More