PM chairs high-level meeting on security amid India-Pakistan tensions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday chaired a high-level meeting on security amid the heightened tensions with Pakistan and after Imran Khan announced the release of an Indian Air Force pilot captured by his country.

Officials sources said the meeting was attended by 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 here.

An IAF pilot was captured by Pakistan after an air combat on Wednesday during which the two sides said they shot down each other's warplanes that followed an unsuccessful attempt to target Indian military installations in retaliatory strikes that sparked fears of war.

Khan Thursday announced that IAF's captured pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, will be released on Friday as a gesture of peace and the "first step" to open negotiations with India.