Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to relentlessly pursue and punish the perpetrators of the deadly militant attack on tourists in Kashmir. In a powerful statement made on Thursday, Modi reacted strongly to the attack, which left 26 people dead in the Pahalgam region of Indian Kashmir.
Speaking in Bihar, Modi paused for a moment of silence to honor the victims, urging the thousands gathered to join him in remembrance. “We will pursue them to the ends of the earth,” Modi declared, referring to the attackers. Although he did not specifically name Pakistan, his words are expected to further strain relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
The attack, carried out by militants, has heightened tensions, and India responded by downgrading ties with Pakistan. This includes suspending a six-decade-old water treaty and closing the only land border crossing between the two countries. In reaction, Pakistan’s Power Minister Awais Lekhari criticized India’s actions, calling the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty “an act of water warfare; a cowardly, illegal move.”
Police in Kashmir have identified three suspects believed to be involved in the attack. Authorities have issued notices naming the militants and announced rewards for anyone providing information leading to their capture.
Indian authorities have identified two of the three suspected militants involved in the recent deadly attack in Kashmir as Pakistani nationals, according to notices issued by local police. The identities of the suspects have not been fully disclosed, and authorities did not explain how the men were identified.
The attack, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists in the Pahalgam region, is the worst civilian assault in India in nearly two decades. India and Pakistan have longstanding territorial disputes over Kashmir, with both nations claiming the region in full but controlling separate parts.
On Wednesday, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri revealed that a cabinet security committee had been briefed about the suspected cross-border connections linked to the attack. However, he did not provide any evidence to support these claims or share further details. “The cross-border linkages of this attack have been briefed to the cabinet security committee,” Misri said.
In response to the attack and escalating tensions, India announced further diplomatic measures. The country will pull out its defense advisers in Pakistan and reduce the size of its mission staff in Islamabad from 55 to 30, Misri confirmed. Additionally, India summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi and informed him that all defense advisers in the Pakistani embassy were declared persona non grata. These advisers have been given a week to leave the country.