The Kashmir terrorist attack has sharply increased the risk of military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed states

Tensions between India and Pakistan have sharply escalated following a deadly attack in India's Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory that left 26 people dead. While no concrete evidence has been presented linking Islamabad to the attack, India - which has long accused Pakistan of aiding militant infiltrations in Kashmir - has signaled that it holds Pakistan indirectly responsible.

The attack occurred on the afternoon of April 22 in Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist destination around 6km from the town of Pahalgam. The Resistance Front, a militant group believed to be linked to the Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has reportedly claimed responsibility, prompting New Delhi to accuse Islamabad of supporting cross-border terrorism. Police in Kashmir say they have identified three suspects, two of whom are Pakistani nationals, in the attack. Some reports later suggested that the Resistance Front distanced itself from the attack.

The international community has expressed concern over the escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Observers have warned that the standoff could lead to further instability in the region if diplomatic channels are not promptly re-engaged.

Diplomatic response

India-Pakistan relations have been strained for decades over Kashmir. The two nuclear armed neighbors have fought four wars and have had repeated border skirmishes. Relations between Islamabad and New Delhi have been nearly frozen since 2019, after the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government abrogated Article 370 of the constitution, which granted a certain level of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir.

Following the Pahalgam attack, the two countries took sweeping measures to further downgrade diplomatic and trade ties.

New Delhi reduced the staff at the Pakistani High Commission, expelling Pakistani diplomats, and closing its land border. It alsosuspended visa servicesfor Pakistani nationals and advised Indian citizens in Pakistan to promptly return home.

Also, for the first time in six decades, Indiasuspended the Indus Waters Treaty, which allows the two countries to share the waters of the Indus River system. New Delhi said the measures would remain in effect "until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism."

Islamabad has denied it had any involvement in the Kashmir attack. It issued a reciprocal response to India's measures on Thursday, suspending key bilateral agreements and cross-border routes,closing its airspaceto all Indian-owned or operated airlines. India has also closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines, one week after Islamabad did so.

Islamabad was especially outraged over India's unilateral suspension of the water treaty, warning that if India follows through on its threat to block the rivers, it would take this as "an act of war."

Military escalation

For the past week, the Indian Army said Pakistani troops have been firing along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, prompting retaliation. No casualties have been reported on the de-facto border so far, despite the tensions among civilians in the border areas.

Meanwhile, Pakistani officials haveclaimedthat military action against their country is "imminent" and Islamabad is ready to face the mounting threats.

Pakistan is expecting an Indian military incursion following last week's deadly attack, Pakistan's defense minister told Reuters on Monday. Asif accused New Delhi of "preparing for all-out war" and vowed that Islamabad is prepared to respond in kind. He also claimed that the Kashmir attack was "a false-flag operation" orchestrated by the Indian authorities.

RT has the latest developments on the unfolding crisis:

Pakistan's ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, has asked President Donald Trump for his help to ease tensions with India following last week's terrorist attack in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, according to Newsweek.

"If we have a president who is standing for peace in the world as a pronounced objective during this administration, to establish a legacy as a peacemaker - or as someone who finished wars, defied wars and played a role in de-confliction, resolving the disputes - I don't think there is any higher or flashier flash point, particularly in nuclear terms, as Kashmir," Sheikh, was quoted as saying by Newsweek.

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has spoken to his American counterpart Pete Hegseth. They discussed last week's terror attack in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, according to Indian government sources.

This follows a call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday. Rubio "encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia," Rubio's spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

Rubio also spoke with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and urged his country to cooperate in investigating the Kashmir attack. He also asked Pakistan to work with India "to de-escalate tensions, re-establish direct communications, and maintain peace and security in South Asia," according to Bruce.

On May 1, the Indian Army continues to retaliate to Pakistani troops, who have engaged in unprovoked firing across the Line of Control (LOC) in Kashmir for the seventh straight day, ANI news agency has reported. In an effort to address the ongoing cross-border firing, the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan held a conversation on Wednesday, according to media reports. According to News18, the Indian DGMO strongly cautioned his Pakistani counterpart regarding the alleged ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces along the LOC and the international border.

On April 29, Islamabad's information minister, Attaullah Tarar, warned that "Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends to launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours, using the Pahalgam incident as a false pretext."

"Any act of aggression will be met with a decisive response. India will be fully responsible for any serious consequences in the region," Tarar added.

His statement came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his country's armed forces "full operational freedom" to determine the mode, targets, and timing of a response to the recent terrorist attack.

On April 29, India launched extensive counter-terrorism operations at various locations in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, according to local media reports.

Four counter-terrorism operations are currently taking place in the region as part of a heightened security crackdown, ANI news agency cited officials as saying. Security has been increased in areas such as Pulwama (the scene of a major terrorist attack in 2019), where searches and combing operations are taking place in forested and rural areas. As part of the security measures, 48 out of 87 public parks and gardens in vulnerable areas have been closed in an effort to maintain safety and prevent potential threats.

(RT.com)