Indian PM Convenes National Security Council to Discuss Kashmir - Sources

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a meeting of the National Security Council to assess the security situation in the country, especially in Jammu and Kashmir bordering Pakistan, Prime Minister Office sources told Sputnik on Sunday.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley are also present in the meeting.

India and Pakistan have been facing off in the disputed Kashmir region after a deadly attack by Jaish-e-Mohammad on the Indian paramilitary police force in Kashmir in mid-February. While India has accused Pakistan of supporting the militants and having a "direct hand" in the incident, Pakistan has rejected the allegations, accusing India, in turn, of being responsible for human rights violations taking place in Kashmir.

India struck targets inside Pakistan, while Pakistani air defences shot down several Indian planes and captured an Indian pilot before releasing him.