Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi on Wednesday morning, ending his visit to Saudi Arabia earlier than planned because of the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Soon after arriving in New Delhi, the Prime Minister held an emergency meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and other top officials to discuss the situation following the attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi left Jeddah late Tuesday night, earlier than his planned return on Wednesday night. According to government sources, he also did not attend the official dinner hosted by Saudi officials. The Ministry of External Affairs said that during his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, PM Modi discussed the Pahalgam attack.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi was informed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the terror attack in Pahalgam. PM Modi directed him to take all necessary steps and visit the location. Amit Shah is now in Srinagar to assess the situation. In a post on X, PM Modi said that those responsible for the attack will be punished. "I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected," he said. "Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice...they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger," he added. 

One of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir took place around 2:30 pm on Tuesday, when a group of terrorists, wearing army-style uniforms, opened fire on tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam. The Resistance Front – a local group linked to the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba – claimed responsibility for the attack. Baisaran, also known as 'mini Switzerland', is located just five kilometres from Pahalgam. Intelligence sources believe that five to six terrorists were involved in Tuesday’s attack. The group is said to have included foreign terrorists, likely from Pakistan, who entered the Valley just a few days before targeting the tourists. Sources also mentioned that the attackers had surveyed the area beforehand. Agencies think the attack was well-planned, with the militants hiding and waiting for the right time to strike. 

According to sources, the mastermind behind the Pahalgam attack is believed to be Saifullah Kasuri, the deputy chief of LeT and a close associate of wanted terrorist Hafeez Saeed. Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said the attack was "much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years" and that the exact number of casualties was still being determined.