India has warned that it will seek the “complete isolation” of Pakistan in the wake of a deadly car bombing by pro-Pakistan separatists in the disputed Kashmir province.
The Indian government claims to have “incontrovertible evidence” of collusion between the attackers and Pakistani authorities, although this has yet to be produced, reports the BBC.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Tensions have been high in the region for decades, with multiple armed conflicts and insurgencies, but this week’s attack appears to have pushed India over the edge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today promised a “strong response” to Pakistan’s alleged direct involvement in the attack.
“Those who committed this heinous act will pay a heavy price. Those who supported it will definitely be punished,” Modi said. “If our neighbour thinks it can destabilise India then it is making a big mistake.”
India’s Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitley echoed that warning in a tweet.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale has summoned Pakistan’s envoy, Sohail Mahmood, and served a diplomatic notice demanding that Islamabad take action against JeM, which has been banned in Pakistan since 2002.
Meanwhile, Jaitely told reporters that India will remove “most-favoured-nation privileges given to Pakistan under World Trade Organization rules”, reports Al Jazeera.
But Sreeram Chaulia, professor of international relations at India’s Jindal School of International Affairs, told the news site that revoking trade privileges will not “hurt much”, as “Pakistan exports less than $1bn worth of products to India because of strained relations”.
Indian news network NDTV reports that a government delegation “has started meeting envoys of the United Nation P5”, the five permanent member nations of the UN Security Council, “to brief them about Pakistan’s role in sponsoring terror”.
In a statement issued today, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the attack a matter of “grave concern”, but added: “We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian government and media circles that seek to link the attack to the State of Pakistan without investigations.”
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Will Starmer’s India visit herald blossoming new relations?Today's Big Question Despite a few ‘awkward undertones’, the prime minister’s trip shows signs of solidifying trade relations
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
'Axis of upheaval': will China summit cement new world order?Today's Big Question Xi calls on anti-US alliance to cooperate in new China-led global system – but fault lines remain
-
A private zoo run by Asia's richest family is facing criticism and investigationsUnder the radar The zoo is owned by Anant Ambani, the son of Asia's richest person
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Delhi's dogs earn Supreme Court reprieveIN THE SPOTLIGHT After an outcry from the public and animal rights activists, India's Supreme Court walks back a controversial plan to round the city's stray dog population into shelters
