India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi ReutersThe Pakistan-based Islamist militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attackIndia’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday promised a strong response to a car bombing in Kashmir that killed 44 paramilitary that his government blamed on Pakistan, ratcheting up tensions with the nuclear-rival. Also Read: Kashmir car bomb blast: India demands Pakistan act against militantsAs a first step, this would include India removing most favored nation (MFN) trade privileges given to Pakistan, Jaitley said. But bilateral trade between India and Pakistan is barely US $2 billion per year and Modi facing a tough election is likely to come under pressure for a more muscular response. The last major attack in Kashmir was in 2016 when militants raided an Indian army camp in Uri, killing 20 soldiers. Modi responded with a surgical strike on suspected militant camps across the border in Pakistan Kashmir weeks later.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 15, 2019 06:45 UTC