NEW DELHI - India said it has banned the import of all goods originating from or transiting via Pakistan as tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations rise in the wake of a deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Kashmir region.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade in Delhi said in a notification on Saturday that that the ban would take effect immediately.
“This restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy,” it said.
Suspected militants killed at least 26 tourists in a recent attack on a mountain destination in the Pahalgam area of the Kashmir valley.
Islamabad has denied any involvement in the April 22 attack.
The Muslim-majority Himalayan region is claimed by both India and Pakistan, and has been the site of multiple wars, insurgency and diplomatic standoffs.
India has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack, which Islamabad denies. Pakistan said it has “credible intelligence” that India intends to launch military action.
Pakistan also announced retaliatory measures that have included halting all border trade, closing its airspace to Indian carriers and expelling Indian diplomats.
Islamabad has also warned that any attempt to prevent the flow of river water promised under a decades-old treaty between the two nations would be considered an act of war.
Trade between the two nations has dwindled over the last few years.
Pakistan’s military, meanwhile, said it had conducted a training launch of a surface-to-surface missile weapons system.
“Pakistan today conducted a successful training launch of the Abdali Weapon System — a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 kilometres,” it said in a statement on Saturday.
“The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced manoeuvrability features.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military “full operational freedom” to respond while Pakistan this week warned of an imminent strike by its neighbour.