India bars Pakistani ships, imports as latter test fires ballistic missile

India said on Saturday it had banned the import of goods coming from or transiting via Pakistan and barred Pakistani ships as tensions rise between the neighbours in the wake of a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir region.

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India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a notification 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 people in last week's attack on a mountain tourist destination in the Pahalgam area of the Kashmir valley.

India on Saturday also announced to suspend exchange of inbound mails and parcels from Pakistan via air and surface routes, after banning all imports and barring Pakistani-flagged vessels from entering the ports earlier in the day.

In a notification, the Ministry of Communications announced the suspension of mails and parcels from the neighbouring country, in the wake of the brutal Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

"The Government of India has decided to suspend exchange of all categories of inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes," read the notification.

PAKISTAN MISSILE TEST: Pakistan test fired a ballistic missile Saturday as tensions with India spiked over last month's deadly attack on tourists.

The surface-to-surface missile has a range of 450 kilometers, the Pakistani military said.