Modi Vows Relentless Pursuit of Kashmiri Attackers as India Severs Key Ties with Pakistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to hunt down the perpetrators of the brutal terrorist attack in Kashmir that left 26 civilians dead, signaling a decisive and uncompromising stance against cross-border terrorism. Speaking at a rally in Bihar on Thursday, Modi honored the victims and assured the country that those responsible would be pursued “to the ends of the earth,” a statement that reflects growing anger in India following the massacre in Pahalgam.

While Modi refrained from naming Pakistan directly, Indian authorities have confirmed that two of the suspects involved in the attack are Pakistani nationals. The fallout has further strained relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors. India has responded by suspending the historic Indus Waters Treaty, revoking all Pakistani visas effective Sunday, closing the only active land border crossing, and cutting the size of its diplomatic staff in Islamabad nearly in half.

Pakistan, in turn, retaliated by closing its airspace to Indian airlines and halting all trade with India, even to third-party countries. Islamabad condemned India’s moves as “illegal,” with its power minister labeling the suspension of the water-sharing agreement as “water warfare.” However, India’s actions are widely seen as a justified response to years of terrorism fueled from across the border.

Meanwhile, police in Indian-administered Kashmir have released wanted notices for three militants linked to the attack, offering rewards for information. Two of the suspects have been identified as Pakistani nationals, reinforcing New Delhi’s long-standing assertion that terror operations in Kashmir receive external backing. The attack, the deadliest against civilians in Kashmir in nearly two decades, is being treated as a direct assault on India’s sovereignty and stability.

Diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan had already been on thin ice even before the latest escalation. Since India’s 2019 move to revoke Kashmir’s special status, Islamabad had expelled India’s envoy and refused to appoint its own ambassador to New Delhi. Modi’s government had worked hard to promote a vision of a peaceful, developing Kashmir, with tourism surging in recent years. However, this latest attack has once again exposed the fragility of the region and the urgent need for a firm, united national and international response to terrorism.