India suspends Indus Waters Treaty, shuts Attari border

New Delhi: In a decisive move following the brutal terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives including that of a foreign national, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) — India’s apex decision-making body on national security — has announced a series of strong retaliatory measures against Pakistan.

The attack has been linked to cross-border elements, with the Pakistan-based terrorist group The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, claiming responsibility.

Addressing a press briefing after the CCS meeting, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated, “The cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were highlighted to the CCS. This incident follows successful elections in the Union Territory and its strides towards economic growth and development.”

Key measures announced by the CCS

1. Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty:  The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank and upheld through three wars between India and Pakistan, has been suspended indefinitely. This suspension is contingent on Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ending its support for cross-border terrorism.

2. Closure of Attari-Wagah border Check Post:  The Integrated Check Post at Attari-Wagah will be shut with immediate effect. Pakistani nationals who entered India with valid documents may return via this route before May 1, 2025.

3. Termination of SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistan:  Pakistani nationals will no longer be eligible for travel under the SVES, which had exempted certain categories, including judges, parliamentarians, journalists and athletes, from visa requirements. All previously issued SVES visas for Pakistani citizens are now null and void. Those currently in India under this scheme must leave within 48 hours.

4. Expulsion of military officials:  Naval and Air Advisers in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been declared persona non grata and given one week to depart. India will also withdraw its military advisers from its High Commission in Islamabad. These posts, along with five support staff on both sides, are annulled effective immediately.

5. Reduction in diplomatic staff:  The overall strength of both High Commissions will be reduced from 55 to 30 personnel by May 1, 2025.

Security forces on high alert

The CCS also reviewed the broader security landscape and instructed all security forces to maintain heightened vigilance. Misri reaffirmed India’s resolve to bring the perpetrators to justice and hold their sponsors accountable, noting, “India will remain relentless in the pursuit of those who commit or conspire to carry out acts of terror — as demonstrated in the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana.”

The Indus Waters Treaty: What suspension means

Under the treaty, India controls the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — while Pakistan has rights over the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. The agreement has long been a rare example of cooperation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

However, Pakistan is already teetering on the edge of a severe water crisis, driven by rapid population growth, poor management and climate change. The suspension of the treaty could now tip the balance toward an acute national emergency.

In 2019, after the Pulwama attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had warned that “blood and water can’t flow together,” but refrained from implementing the threat. This time, the CCS has acted.

Pakistan had previously warned that any move to abrogate the treaty would be viewed as an “act of war.” India’s decision to suspend it signals deep frustration over Islamabad’s continued use of terrorism as a tool of statecraft.

Pakistan’s official social media blocked

India has also suspended access to the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Government of Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.

The high-level CCS meeting, lasting over two hours, was attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.