New Delhi: In a resolute and unprecedented move, the Indian government has announced a sweeping set of punitive actions against Pakistan following the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that claimed the lives of at least 26 Indian tourists on April 22.
The measures, intended as a stern rebuke to what India describes as cross-border terrorism, include suspending the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty, sealing the Wagah-Attari border, revoking all Pakistani visas, and significantly reducing diplomatic engagement.
The announcement came after a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that, “India will not rest until the perpetrators of this heinous attack are brought to justice and their backers made accountable.”
In the wake of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, chaired a meeting of the CCS at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. pic.twitter.com/bZj5gggp5l
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 23, 2025
Indus Waters Treaty
Among the most consequential steps taken is the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a landmark 1960 agreement that governs the sharing of water from the Indus River system between India and Pakistan.
Brokered by the World Bank, the treaty had stood firm even during wars between the two countries.
“The Indus Waters Treaty will be held in abeyance with immediate effect. This will continue until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism,” Misri said.
The decision marks the first time in over six decades that India has interrupted this cooperative framework, underscoring the gravity of the present crisis.
The IWT gives India rights over the eastern rivers-Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej, while Pakistan controls the western rivers- Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum. It has long served as a rare example of cooperation amid turbulent bilateral relations.
BIG Steps taken by PM Shri @narendramodi ji
Indus Water Treaty SUSPENDED
-Attari border SHUT IMMEDIATELY
-Pak defence officials told to EXIT IN A WEEK
-Visa CANCELLED, all Pakistanis ordered to LEAVE Our Country in 48 HOURS#IndusRiver #PahalgamTerroristAttack #Kashmir… pic.twitter.com/M9ffMDx6aj
— Mamta Painuly Kale (@mamta_kale) April 23, 2025
Closure of Border and Visa Revocations
Effective immediately, the Attari-Wagah border vital for both civilian movement and limited trade will be closed.
Misri stated that, “Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1, 2025.”
All visas issued to Pakistani nationals have been canceled, including those under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme. Pakistanis currently in India on SVES visas have been given 48 hours to exit the country.
This decision will halt not only routine civilian exchanges but also cultural interactions and trade activities.
The Attari Integrated Check Post, the only land-based trading route between the two nations, witnessed over ₹3,886 crore in trade in 2023–24. This economic channel is now effectively shut.
Diplomatic Ties Cut to the Bone
In another strong diplomatic signal, India has declared the military, naval, and air advisors at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata, ordering them to leave within a week.
Correspondingly, India will withdraw its defense attachés from Islamabad.
Further, beginning May 1, 2025, the strength of both High Commissions will be slashed to 30 staff members from the current 55. These reductions aim to freeze formal interactions and signal a downgrading of ties.
New Policy Doctrine
India’s forceful recalibration of its Pakistan policy reflects a shift toward imposing concrete costs for terrorism emanating from across the border.
By cutting off diplomatic, economic, and civilian links, and invoking a suspension of the once sacrosanct Indus Waters Treaty, India has opted for a strategy of strategic deterrence designed to hold Pakistan accountable on the international stage.
