Armed police and soldiers searched homes and forests for militants in Indian Kashmir on Friday and India's army chief reviewed security there after the killing of 26 men at a tourist site - the worst attack on civilians in nearly two decades.

The nuclear-armed rivals ramped up tit-for-tat diplomatic offensive following a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam.

Relations between India and Pakistan are cratering following a deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that has sparked tit-for-tat reprisals and raised fears of another military escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals.