New Delhi: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has revealed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s immediate response after the Pahalgam terror attack, recalling that the Prime Minister wanted to know who was responsible for the deadly assault.
Doval shared the details in his first interview since Operation Sindoor as part of the Discovery docuseries Declassified: Operation Sindoor. The series examines the decisions and events surrounding India’s 88-hour military response in May 2025.
Modi wanted answers immediately
According to Doval, Modi was in Saudi Arabia when the Pahalgam attack took place and cut short his visit to return to India.
The NSA recalled meeting the Prime Minister at the airport after his return. Doval said Modi first wanted all the facts about the attack.
He then asked: “Who has done it? Who is responsible?” and stressed that he wanted the information immediately.
The April 22, 2025 attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley killed 26 people and triggered a major security and diplomatic response from India.
Intelligence became the key focus
Doval said intelligence agencies worked rapidly to establish the identity of those behind the attack. He credited the agencies with reaching conclusions within a short period.
The identification of the perpetrators became central to determining India’s subsequent response.
From Pahalgam to Operation Sindoor
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The operation followed a series of government decisions after the Pahalgam attack.
Doval’s latest account offers a rare insight into the immediate discussions at the highest levels of government following the attack.
The Declassified: Operation Sindoor docuseries is premiering on Discovery Channel and discovery+ on August 15, 2026, giving viewers further accounts of the planning and execution of the operation.