In one of the most serious escalations in recent years, India has suspended the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan following a terrorist attack in Kashmir that killed 26 tourists and injured dozens more.
The attack occurred on Tuesday near the Baisaran Valley, a well-known tourist destination in Pahalgam, making it the deadliest civilian assault in the region in years. Although no group has claimed responsibility, Indian authorities suspect Pakistani-based extremists, a pattern seen in previous incidents.
Immediately after the attack, the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security convened an emergency session in New Delhi, announcing a series of severe countermeasures:
- Suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, a key bilateral agreement signed in 1960 under World Bank mediation, governing the water flow from India to Pakistan.
- Closure of the Wagah-Attari border crossing, halting all movement.
- Recall of Indian diplomats from Islamabad, and a one-week deadline for Pakistani diplomats to leave New Delhi.
- Cancellation of all Pakistani visas issued under the SAARC framework.
- A 48-hour expulsion order for all Pakistani nationals currently in India.
The Indus Water Treaty had long been hailed as a model of cooperation between the two rival nations, surviving multiple wars and diplomatic crises. Its suspension now grants India the ability to divert or restrict river flows, a move that could significantly impact Pakistan’s agriculture-dependent economy, raising both humanitarian and geopolitical concerns.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered a stark warning:
“We will not stop at those who executed the attack. We will go after those who, hidden behind curtains, masterminded these heinous acts on Indian soil.“
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who cut short a visit to Saudi Arabia to return home, strongly condemned the attack on the platform X:
“Those responsible for this horrific act will not go unpunished… Their evil plan will fail. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable.“
The abrupt deterioration in diplomatic ties and the suspension of such a strategic treaty signals a new and dangerous phase in India-Pakistan relations.
