Relations between India and Pakistan are cratering following a deadly attack in the disputed Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir that left more than two dozen tourists dead, raising fears of military escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals.

The nuclear-armed rivals, which both claim Kashmir and administer separate parts of it, are at a dangerous crossroad after Tuesday’s militant attack, analysts said.

India and Pakistan both claim Kashmir in full but control it only in parts. Since India's partition and the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the nuclear-armed neighbours have fought wars over the territory.