India will pursue perpetrators of Kashmir attack to 'ends of earth', Modi says

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed on Thursday to pursue, track and punish the gunmen and their backers in a strong reaction to a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir.

At a speech in Indian state of Bihar, Modi folded his hands in prayer in remembrance for the 26 men who were killed in the Pahalgam region of Indian Kashmir. "We will pursue them to the ends of the earth," Modi said, referring to the attackers, without referring to their identities.

It comes a day after India announced a raft of measures to downgrade ties with Islamabad on Wednesday, suspending a six-decade old water treaty and closing the only land border crossing between the neighbours.

New Delhi will also pull out its defence advisers in Pakistan and reduce staff size at its mission in Islamabad to 30 from 55, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

At least 26 people were killed in Tuesday's attack in the worst attack on civilians in the country in nearly two decades.

Police in Indian Kashmir published notices on Thursday naming three suspected militants "involved in" the attack, and announced rewards for information leading to their arrest.

Modi has also called for an all-party meeting with opposition parties on Thursday to brief them on the government's response to the deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 people dead.

In Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was scheduled to hold a meeting of the National Security Committee to discuss Pakistan's response, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a post on X.

India and Pakistan control separate parts of Kashmir and both claim it in full.