Operation Sindoor: Ajit Doval reveals Modi's first questions after Pahalgam attack
Synopsis
For the first time on camera, NSA Ajit Doval has revealed exactly what PM Modi demanded at the airport minutes after the Pahalgam massacre: ‘Who has done it? I want it immediately.’ That single question set in motion the intelligence chain that led to Operation Sindoor — India’s nine-camp strike on Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir just 15 days later.
Key Takeaways
NSA Ajit Doval gave his first on-camera interview about Operation Sindoor , disclosing PM Modi’s immediate questions after the Pahalgam attack .
Modi’s first question at the airport was: ‘Who has done it?
I want it immediately’ — according to Doval’s account.
The Pahalgam attack on 22 April 2025 killed 26 civilians , mostly Hindu tourists, plus a local guide, at Baisaran meadow, Anantnag .
The NIA confirmed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and affiliate The Resistance Front (TRF) carried out the attack.
India launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May 2025 , striking nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
A ceasefire was reached on 10 May 2025 after roughly 88 hours of military hostilities.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has disclosed, for the first time on camera, the precise questions Prime Minister Narendra Modi put to him moments after the Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April 2025 — offering rare insight into the decision-making chain that ultimately led to Operation Sindoor.
What Modi Asked at the Airport
In his first on-camera interview about Operation Sindoor, Doval recounted a tense exchange at the airport immediately after Modi returned following the attack. “Prime Minister returned. Foreign Secretary had come to receive him. Then at the airport itself, he had a meeting. First he wanted to know all the facts, and then his first question to me was, ‘Who has done it?’, ‘Who is this Boss? We should be very keen on who the perpetrators are. I want it immediately’,” Doval said in the documentary.
Doval credited India’s intelligence apparatus for delivering answers swiftly. “Thanks to our intelligence agencies. I think they did a brilliant job, and within a very short time we were able to arrive at the conclusion,” he added.
The Pahalgam Attack: What Happened
On 22 April 2025, gunmen opened fire on tourists at the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, killing 26 civilians — mostly Hindu visitors — along with a local guide. India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) subsequently confirmed that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its affiliate The Resistance Front (TRF) were responsible for the massacre.
Operation Sindoor: India’s Military Response
India’s armed forces launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May 2025, striking nine terrorist camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes were framed as a direct response to the Pahalgam attack and the intelligence conclusions drawn in its aftermath.
Pakistan retaliated with drone and missile strikes on Indian territory, but India’s air defence systems neutralised most of the incoming threats. The confrontation escalated into one of the sharpest military stand-offs between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in recent years.
Ceasefire After 88 Hours
After approximately 88 hours of hostilities, India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire on the evening of 10 May 2025. The brief but intense military exchange drew international attention and renewed debate over cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil.
Significance of Doval’s Disclosure
Doval’s on-camera account is notable because it places Modi at the centre of the intelligence-gathering phase — not merely the military response phase — of India’s decision-making. The NSA’s remarks, made in what is described as a documentary format, represent the most detailed official account of the hours immediately following the Pahalgam massacre. The disclosure comes as India marks its 79th Independence Day on 15 August 2025, with Operation Sindoor remaining a defining national security event of the year.
Point of View
The government is constructing a narrative of decisive, intelligence-led leadership ahead of Independence Day. What remains unexamined is the 15-day gap between the attack and the strikes: what diplomatic channels were exhausted, what red lines were set, and whether the ceasefire terms were favourable. The documentary format, rather than a parliamentary statement or press briefing, also raises questions about accountability versus optics.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did PM Modi ask Ajit Doval after the Pahalgam attack?
According to NSA Ajit Doval, Modi’s first question at the airport after returning was: ‘Who has done it? I want it immediately.’ Modi prioritised identifying the perpetrators before any other decision, according to Doval’s account in the documentary.
What was Operation Sindoor?
Operation Sindoor was India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, launched on 7 May 2025. Indian armed forces struck nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, targeting infrastructure linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and The Resistance Front.
Who carried out the Pahalgam terror attack?
India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) confirmed that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its affiliate The Resistance Front (TRF) were responsible for the 22 April 2025 attack at Baisaran meadow, Anantnag, which killed 26 civilians and a local guide.
How did the India-Pakistan military standoff end?
India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire on the evening of 10 May 2025, approximately 88 hours after Operation Sindoor began. Pakistan had retaliated with drone and missile strikes, most of which were neutralised by India’s air defence systems.
Why is Doval’s interview significant?
It is Doval’s first on-camera account of Operation Sindoor and provides the most detailed official version of the decision-making hours immediately after the Pahalgam attack. It places PM Modi at the centre of the intelligence-gathering phase, not just the military response.
