India has imposed a complete ban on imports from Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, citing national security concerns.

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In a notification issued on Saturday (May 03), the Ministry of Commerce said, “Direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan… shall be prohibited with immediate effect, until further orders.” The government stressed that any exceptions would need prior approval.

This is the first in a series of steps India is taking after 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen were killed in a terror strike linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba on April 22.

Also read: 'Perpetrators must be brought to justice': India's Jaishankar hold talks with Russia's Lavrov in wake of Pahalgam terror attack

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Trade halted and ports closed to Pakistani ships

India followed up the import ban with another strong measure, barring ships from Pakistan from docking at any Indian ports. It also ordered that no Indian-flagged vessels are to visit Pakistani ports. The Ministry of Shipping said the move was made in the interest of “ensuring the safety of Indian assets, cargo and connected infrastructure.”

These steps are seen as a major escalation in trade restrictions. The Wagah-Attari border crossing had already been shut, which was the last operational route for goods from Pakistan into India.

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Also read: Pahalgam terror attack: J&K CM Omar Abdullah meets PM Modi in Delhi, discusses J&K situation

Incoming mail and parcels suspended

India’s third move on Saturday was to suspend all inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan. According to an official order, “Government of India has decided to suspend exchange of all categories of inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes.”

Pakistan’s missile test seen as a provocation

While India was announcing its new measures, Pakistan claimed it had successfully tested a 450 km-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile called Abdali. The test was part of what Pakistan called “Exercise INDUS.”

Pakistan’s military said the launch was meant to confirm the operational readiness of its forces and validate the missile’s enhanced manoeuvrability and navigation systems.

Indian officials, however, called the timing “a dangerous escalation.”

Also read: Inside India, Pakistan’s nuclear arsenals: Who has more, and what would happen if New Delhi, Islamabad unleash their nukes?

India’s earlier measures against Pakistan

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, India had already taken several strong steps, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, revoking most Pakistani visas, and halting cross-border trade routes. The water treaty suspension in particular rattled Pakistan, which called it an “act of war.”

Islamabad responded by shutting its airspace to Indian airlines and threatened to suspend all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement that outlines the Line of Control.

Also read: 'Will go hungry, but get the bomb’: How Pakistan got the nuclear bomb? A story of desperation, fear, and rivalry with India

Modi gives military full freedom to respond

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting with the armed forces earlier in the week, where he gave them full operational freedom to choose the “mode, targets, and timing” of India’s response to the Pahalgam attack.