India: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to hunt down and punish the perpetrators of a deadly militant Kashmir attack that claimed the lives of 26 men in Pahalgam, marking the worst assault on civilians in the region in over two decades.
In a strong-worded public address from Bihar, Modi said those behind the attack would be pursued ‘to the ends of the Earth.’ Addressing both domestic and international audiences, Modi stated that, “They will certainly pay. Whatever little land these terrorists have, it’s time to reduce it to dust. Terrorism will not go unpunished.”
The attack, claimed by a little-known group calling itself Kashmir Resistance, targeted a group of civilians and affected a chilling execution-style tactic, where attackers reportedly asked captives to recite Islamic verses before killing those who failed. The group alleged the attack was a response to the demographic change brought by the settlement of over 85,000 outsiders in the region.
India will identify, track and punish every terrorist, their handlers and their backers.
We will pursue them to the ends of the earth.
India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism. pic.twitter.com/sV3zk8gM94
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2025
India blames Pakistan for backing the assailants, triggering a swift diplomatic fallout. New Delhi downgraded diplomatic ties with Islamabad, expelling defence attaches, reducing its embassy staff, and suspending a key water-sharing treaty.
India’s foreign ministry summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in Delhi, Saad Ahmad Warraich, to formally convey its condemnation and proclaim the measures taken. Pakistan, which has denied involvement, is convening a national security committee meeting to discuss its response. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the move on social media.
Indian police released the names of three suspects believed to be behind the attack, two of them identified as Pakistani nationals and offered rewards for information leading to their capture. Security forces have launched a large-scale manhunt across Kashmir.
The latest escalation adds to an already fraught relationship between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, whose ties have remained tense since 2019, when India revoked Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status. Modi’s government had touted the move as a turning point for peace and development in the region.
The attack now casts a shadow over those claims, reigniting fears of a broader conflict in a territory long scarred by insurgency and cross-border tensions. An all-party meeting has been called by Modi to discuss India’s comeback moving forward. Security has since been tightened across Kashmir, as authorities brace for potential aftershocks in a region once again on edge.
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