The United States is stepping up pressure on India and Pakistan to avoid conflict in Kashmir after a tourist massacre in an Indian-administered area of the divided territory last week.

India said on Saturday it had banned the import of goods coming from or transiting via Pakistan and barred Pakistani ships as tensions rise between the nuclear-armed neighbours in the wake of a deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Kashmir region.

The launch of the Abdali Weapon System was aimed at ensuring the “operational readiness of troops" and validating the system's advanced navigation and enhanced maneuverability, Pakistan’s military said.