Indus Waters Treaty Suspended After Kashmir Attack
New Delhi – In a major diplomatic escalation, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and announced the closure of the Attari-Wagah border. The move follows a high-level cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in response to the recent attack on tourists in the Indian-administered region of Pahalgam, Kashmir, which resulted in the death of 26 people.
During a press conference, India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson declared that all Pakistani visas have been cancelled and that all Pakistani nationals currently in India must leave the country within 48 hours.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi must vacate within seven days. He added that Pakistan’s air force and navy attachés have been declared persona non grata, while India will also recall its defense attachés from Islamabad.
The spokesperson emphasized that the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 would remain suspended until Pakistan permanently ceases support for cross-border terrorism. The Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari will be immediately shut down, though individuals already inside India with valid documentation may return to Pakistan by May 1, 2025.
India has also scrapped all SAARC visa exemptions for Pakistani nationals. All previously issued visas under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) are now considered void. Pakistanis currently in India under this scheme have 48 hours to leave.
Additionally, all military, naval, and air advisors at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi have been ordered to leave within a week. India will also reduce its high commission staff in Islamabad from 55 to 30 personnel by May 1, 2025. Five advisory support staff from both missions will also be withdrawn.
This comes as a reaction to the tragic shooting incident in Kashmir’s tourist hub, which Indian authorities claim requires a “firm and unambiguous” response.
The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960 and signed in Karachi by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani President Ayub Khan, has survived multiple wars and hostilities over the past 62 years. Under the agreement, the control of the western rivers – Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab – was granted to Pakistan, giving it rights over 80% of the water. India was allowed non-consumptive uses such as hydroelectric generation, without disrupting flow.
The eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—were allocated to India, which could develop infrastructure projects on them without Pakistan’s objection.
India’s latest move to suspend this long-standing treaty marks a significant deterioration in bilateral ties and raises serious concerns over regional stability and water security.
