Progress in relations between India and Pakistan after Pakistan's deadly October 8 earthquake is being sorely tested by new attacks in New Delhi (BBC). Police say militant groups fighting Indian rule in the disputed region of Kashmir likely carried out the attacks; Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says Islamabad has failed to clamp down on terrorist activity (Times of India), which Pakistan denies (Dawn).
While some analysts warn the attacks could damage recent progress betweenthe two countries (Economist), others note that India's rhetoric toward Pakistan has been uncharacteristically measured. Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf was quick to condemn the attack and to offer "unequivocal support for the investigation" (Daily Times). Just hours after the bombings, the two countries announced an agreement to open crossing points along the Kashmiri line of control to allow relief aid to flow and divided families to reunite (Christian Science Monitor). Our CFR Background Q&A considers prospects for an Indo-Pakistani peace, which former U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan William Milam says may be difficult; the MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base lists past terrorist attacks in India; and both the Pakistani government and the Indian government outline their positions on Kashmir.