Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the military "full flexibility to decide on the mode, targets, and timing" of India's military reaction to the Pahalgam terror incident. The decision was given at a highlevel conference involving the triservicesheads, the prime minister, defense minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, and CDS General Anil Chauhan. 

According to reports, the prime minister has "full faith and confidence" in the Indian military and "re-affirmed that it is our national resolve to strike a crushing blow to terrorists." According to reports, PM Modi stated that the Armed Forces are fully free to choose the strategy, objectives, and timing of our reaction. The government's highest decision making body on national security issues, the Cabinet Committee on Security, which is chaired by the prime minister, held its meeting the day before. a body on national security issues, the Cabinet Committee on Security, which is chaired by the prime minister, held its meeting the day before.
 As senior defense officials considered ways to punish those responsible for the attack on April 22, Defence Minister Ranath Singh informed Prime Minister Modi on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Home Minister Amit Shah and RSS president Mohan Bhagwat arrived at the prime minister's house after the security meeting.

According to reports, PM Modi's approval opens the door for military action in reaction to the 26 fatalities—the majority of whom were civilians—in the worst such occurrence since the February 2019 Pulwama terror attack. India carried out precision airstrikes on terror camps in Balakot, Pakistan, that were supported by the Pakistani Army and controlled by Jaish-e-Mohammed, back in 2019. Six years later, the Pahalgam was connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba, another prohibited group based in Pakistan.