India and Pakistan rivalry boils after deadly Kashmir attack
New Delhi unleashed a salvo of diplomatic measures against its arch-rival, closing a key border crossing and pausing a water-sharing treaty
India took a raft of punitive diplomatic measures against arch-rival Pakistan on Wednesday, accusing Islamabad of supporting “cross-border terrorism” after a deadly attack on civilians in Kashmir.
The attack has plunged relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours to their worst levels for several years, and some fear New Delhi’s diplomatic salvo may be only the first in a series of steps – with the potential risk still of military action.
India’s measures, including the suspension of a key water-sharing treaty and closure of the main land border crossing, comes a day after gunmen opened fire at tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
The gunmen killed 26 men – all Indian except one Nepali – in the deadliest attack on civilians in the Himalayan region for a quarter of a century.
The killings have shocked New Delhi, as they marked a dramatic shift targeting civilians and the area’s vital tourism industry, rather than smaller scale attacks against Indian security forces, which are more common.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged that those responsible for the “heinous act” will be brought to justice.