After terror attack in Pahalgam, India closes doors on diplomacy with Pakistan

In a strongly worded statement issued late Wednesday evening, India announced the effective downgrading of diplomatic relations with Pakistan, closure of key border routes, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and the expulsion of Pakistani military attaches from its High Commission in New Delhi.

In Short

• India downgrades ties with Pakistan after Pahalgam attack
• Suspends strategic Indus Waters Treaty, visa exemption scheme and more
• Global support for India; Pakistan faces isolation

In a sweeping and unprecedented response to the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 people-including 25 Indians and one Nepali national-India has launched a series of strong diplomatic and strategic countermeasures against Pakistan.

Following a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India announced a cascade of retaliatory steps. These include the downgrading of diplomatic relations with Pakistan, expulsion of all Pakistani military advisors from its High Commission in New Delhi, closure of critical border crossings, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and withdrawal of Indian staff from Islamabad.

In a strongly worded statement issued late on Wednesday evening, the government declared that Pakistan's Defence, Naval, and Air Advisors had been declared 'persona non grata' and would be expelled.

Indian military officials stationed in Islamabad will also return. The scaling down of the High Commission in New Delhi is being seen as a precursor to a complete shutdown, marking the lowest point in diplomatic engagement since the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, addressing the media, said the CCS had "reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigilance". He affirmed India's resolve, saying: "The perpetrators of this attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account. India will be unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror or conspired to make them possible."

In what could be the most far-reaching move, India announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty until Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably abjures terrorism". Though the treaty has withstood numerous wars and hostilities, this is the first time India has invoked such a formal suspension, adding long-term pressure on Pakistan's fragile agricultural economy, especially with the summer cropping season approaching.

The closure of the Integrated Check Post at Attari and cancellation of SAARC Visa exemptions for Pakistani nationals will immediately impact personal visits, cultural exchanges, and trade.

Pakistani artists, pilgrims, and traders currently in India have been given 48 hours to leave the country, a move that underscores India's toughened stance. "Nothing can be entertained until Pakistan continues to attack India by cross border terrorism," an official noted.

While the Indian government's decisive action has drawn expressions of solidarity from nations such as the United States, France, Japan, and Australia, Pakistan has been met with a chilling silence from the global community. Amid growing unrest within Pakistan's military establishment and heightened alert along the border, New Delhi's response has cornered Islamabad diplomatically.