UN chief urges India, Pakistan to step back from brink of war

Nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India must exert "maximum restraint" and step back from the brink of war, UN chief Antonio Guterres urged on Monday, as tensions between the South Asian neighbours soared.

New Delhi has blamed Islamabad for backing a deadly attack on tourists on the Indian side of the disputed region of Kashmir last month, sparking a series of heated threats and diplomatic tit-for-tat measures.

On Monday the Pakistan military said it had conducted a second missile test since the standoff began.

Relations have reached "a boiling point," Guterres told reporters in New York, adding that they were at their "highest in years."

He again condemned the April 22 attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, calling for those responsible to be brought to justice through "credible and lawful means."

"It is also essential — especially at this critical hour — to avoid a military confrontation that could easily spin out of control," the secretary-general warned. "Now is the time for maximum restraint and stepping back from the brink."

International pressure has been piled on both New Delhi and Islamabad to de-escalate.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack in Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any involvement and called for an independent probe.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military "full operational freedom" to respond and Islamabad has warned it will hit back against any aggression.

The UN Security Council was due to meet behind closed doors later on Monday at Pakistan's request over the crisis.

Agence France-Presse