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.

Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front (TRF), has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, the deadliest incident of its kind in India since the 2008 shootings in Mumbai.

At least 26 people were killed and 17 others wounded when gunmen opened fire on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the worst assault in years targeting civilians in a restive region that has seen an anti-India rebellion for more than three decades.