Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 28 February, chaired a high-level meeting on security amid the heightened tensions with Pakistan after Imran Khan announced the release of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varathaman captured by Pakistan.
Official sources said the meeting was attended by the chiefs of the three services, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Several other senior officials also attended the meeting held at the prime minister's residence in New Delhi.
An IAF pilot was captured by Pakistan after an aerial engagement on Wednesday during which the two sides said they shot down each other's jets. This came after what India said was an unsuccessful Pakistani attempt to target military installations in retaliation for India’s air strikes on a JeM camp in Balakot.
Imran Khan on Thursday had announced that the captured pilot will be released on Friday as a gesture of peace and the "first step" to open negotiations with India.
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