Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to track down the perpetrators of a deadly shooting in Kashmir that killed 26 civilians, as India and Pakistan exchanged diplomatic reprisals and tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors intensified.
The April 22 attack in the tourist town of Pahalgam is the deadliest assault on civilians in the disputed Himalayan region in over two decades. Indian police have identified two of the three fugitive gunmen as Pakistani nationals.
“I say to the whole world: India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backer,” Modi said in his first public remarks since the attack, according to a report by Agence France-Presse. “We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth.”
In response to the incident, New Delhi suspended a long-standing water-sharing treaty, closed its main land border with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic relations, and revoked all visas for Pakistani citizens.
Islamabad issued a strong rebuttal, denying involvement and announcing its own retaliatory steps, including the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, visa cancellations for Indian nationals — except Sikh pilgrims — and the closure of the border from its side.
“Any threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty and to the security of its people will be met with firm reciprocal measures in all domains,” Pakistan’s government said in a statement. “In the absence of any credible investigation and verifiable evidence, attempts to link the Pahalgam attack with Pakistan are frivolous, devoid of rationality, and defeat logic.”
Pakistan also warned that any attempt by India to restrict the flow of the Indus River would be considered an “act of war.”
On Thursday, India’s air force and navy held military drills while Indian ground troops clashed with armed men in Basantgarh, resulting in the death of one soldier, according to the army.
Indian police said the gunmen belonged to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, a group designated by the United Nations as a terrorist organization. Authorities announced a reward of two million rupees (around $23,500) for information leading to each of the suspects.
Modi also led a nationwide moment of silence for the victims. “Whatever little land these terrorists have, it’s time to reduce it to dust,” he said.
The assault, which took place as tourists were enjoying the mountain scenery, has raised concerns of further escalation. Survivors told Indian media that the gunmen emerged from the forest, firing on crowds and sparing those who could recite the Islamic declaration of faith.
The United States expressed support for India, with the State Department saying Washington “stands with India,” echoing earlier remarks from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
In Srinagar, the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, residents reacted with grief and unease. “Everyone I have spoken to is heartbroken and shocked,” said Siddhi Wahid, a Kashmiri historian and political commentator.
The attack has also stirred communal tensions, with reports of harassment against Kashmiri students across India.
Kashmir remains at the heart of India-Pakistan hostilities. Since the two countries gained independence in 1947, both have claimed the region in full but control separate parts.
Armed groups have waged an insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir since 1989, seeking either independence or union with Pakistan.
