India said today it was planning large-scale war games along its border with Pakistan, as both sides play down hopes that a keenly awaited speech by the Pakistani president will ease tensions.
At least one Indian child died and two children were wounded when Indian and Pakistani troops fired mortars and machineguns at each other today in Kashmir.
Officials said that Indian forces deployed along the border would hold Operation Parakram (Might) and Operation Sangharsh (Struggle) for a month in Rajasthan and Punjab.
A defence expert said the exercises would likely be held against a nuclear backdrop designed to help troops cope with such an attack. The army last year conducted exercises to prepare soldiers for a biological, chemical or nuclear attack.
Amid fears the standoff could trigger a fourth war between the rivals, India and Pakistan both played down hopes that an forthcoming speech by Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf to announce moves against anti-Indian militants would ease the crisis.
"I think our past experience of Pakistan gives us cause to be pessimistic about what to expect from Pakistan, an Indian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said. "But that said, let us see whether Pakistan is prepared to go beyond what it has said so far not only in terms of words, but in terms of concrete actions to address the issues that are of central concern to us."
General Musharraf announced a crack down on Islamic militants after an attack on India's parliament in December, which New Delhi blamed on two Pakistani-based Islamic groups fighting Indian rule in Kashmir.
Under pressure from the United States and Britain, General Musharraf moved against the militants and said he would address the nation within days to announce what he called "final decisions".
India welcomed the initial crackdown but demanded more, including the handing over of 20 people sheltering in Pakistan and the closing down of the Kashmiri separatist groups.
Pakistani officials say major concessions are unlikely. Pakistan has denied sponsoring terrorism, but said it has given moral support to people it considers "freedom fighters".
US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell is due to visit Pakistan and India next week, hot on the heels of a peace mission by the British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair this week.