NEW DELHI: In a bold response to the brutal terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 28 tourists dead, India has announced a series of sweeping diplomatic and strategic measures aimed directly at Pakistan.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, decided to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, a decades-old water-sharing agreement brokered by the World Bank. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the suspension will remain in place until Pakistan ends its support for cross-border terrorism.
This effectively freezes all bilateral technical exchanges, project approvals, and data sharing related to the treaty—a clear signal that the old playbook no longer applies. In tandem, India will shut down the Attari border checkpost, a key transit point between the two countries, further tightening the screws on bilateral engagement.
These decisions represent a sharp escalation in India’s posture, moving from diplomatic caution to decisive deterrence.
- The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism, said the statement.
- The Integrated Check Post Attari will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before 01 May 2025.
- Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.
- The Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata. They have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own Defence/Navy/Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.
- The overall strength of the high commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be affected by 01 May 2025.