International security

What are India's options against Pakistan after Kashmir attack?

With India's general election barely months away, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is under heavy pressure from his supporters to punish Pakistan for a suicide attack on an Indian paramilitary convoy that killed at least 42 soldiers in India-administered Kashmir.

India placed the blame for Thursday's bombing squarely on neighbouring Pakistan, which India accuses of supporting rebels in Kashmir, a charge that Islamabad denies.

A look at some of the retaliatory steps India is likely to consider:
Diplomatic isolation

India's first public reaction to the attack was to withdraw the most-favoured nation (MFN) trade status given to Pakistan and take all possible diplomatic steps "to ensure the complete isolation from international community of Pakistan".

New Delhi insists "incontrovertible evidence is available of [Pakistan] having a direct hand in this gruesome terrorist incident".