India decides to treat any future terror act as 'act of war'

New Delhi: Amid the escalating tensions with Pakistan, top government sources of India said that any future act of terror in India will be considered an "act of war" against the country and will be responded to accordingly. The centre’s decision made headlines when Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with top defence establishment to take stock of the emergency situation.

The government sources are expected to announce the decision officially as an ultimatum to Pakistan. With this move, the central government, headed by Narendra Modi, intends to draw red lines against terrorism and proclaim that all perpetrators and conspirators would be dealt with an iron fist, in what is seen as a message to Pakistan.

Modi met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the three service chiefs and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan to review the security scenario and chalk out strategies for the future course of action, officials said.

The conflict with Pakistan has intensified with the armed forces responding proportionately and adequately to Pakistani attempts to target Indian installations.

Pakistan's military is moving its troops in the forward areas, India said on Saturday, as the two countries continued to attack each other's military facilities. "The Pakistan military is observed to be moving their troops to the border areas," Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said at a press briefing along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Civilian killed, 8 BSF troops injured in Pak shelling
A civilian was killed in cross border shelling in Jammu on Saturday. The deceased is  Zakir Hussain.

Eight Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have been injured in Pakistani shelling along the international border (IB) in Jammu on Saturday, officials said.

The incident took place in the R S Pura sector, they said. The troops have been rushed to a nearby military medical facility, the officials said. The BSF is tasked to guard the over 2,000 km long India-Pakistan IB.

India hits 8 Pak installations
India on Saturday said it had hit eight military installations in Pakistan in response to the neighbouring country's "provocative" action of targeting its defence infrastructure and civilian areas using drones, long-range weapons and fighter jets.

The Pakistani installations hit included a weapons depot and control centres, India's military said as the two countries teetered on the brink of full-scale war.

Pakistan is also moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an "offensive intent", to further escalate the situation, an Indian military spokesperson said.