Ahmedabad, February 26: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said the Indian Air Force (IAF) has taken "necessary steps" for the nation's security after Pakistan claimed that Indian fighter jets struck inside Pakistan.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given full freedom to the forces," the Human Resource Development Minister told the media. India Confirms IAF Strikes on JeM Camps Across LoC in Balakot, Foreign Secretary Says Jaish Terrorists, Trainers, Commanders Eliminated.

"IAF has taken the necessary steps for the security of the nation. The entire country stands with the forces," the Minister said in what was the first official statement by the government hours after Pakistan claimed that Indian jet crossed the Line of Control (LoC).

Surgical Strike 2: How IAF Avenged Pulwama Attack And Destroyed JeM Camps Across LoC:

Foreign Secretary Vijay K. Gokhale will brief the media at 11.30 a.m. The Director General of Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Asif Ghafoor, tweeted early on Tuesday that the IAF planes dropped a payload near Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before leaving as the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) scrambled its war planes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 26, 2019 12:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).