New Delhi shuts borders, suspends water treaty
India blames deadly Pahalgam attack for the diplomatic crisis
STATE OF THE NATION
April 24, 2025
IN a dramatic escalation of tensions, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan following a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir — a move that marks one of the most serious setbacks in bilateral relations in recent years.
In response, Pakistan has convened an emergency meeting of its National Security Committee to assess the fallout.
The incident at the heart of the crisis occurred in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in the Muslim-majority region of Occupied Kashmir. Gunmen opened fire on visitors, killing at least 26 men and injuring 17 others. Most victims were Indian nationals, with one confirmed to be from Nepal. According to police, it was the deadliest civilian attack in the region since 2000.
India has blamed so-called “cross-border terrorism” for the assault and, in a strong move, has halted the IWT — the long-standing water-sharing agreement brokered by the World Bank in 1960. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that the treaty would be held "in abeyance" until Pakistan “credibly and irreversibly” ends support for militancy. The treaty governs the distribution of waters from the Indus River system between the two countries and includes provisions that it can only be terminated by mutual consent under Article XII(4).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) where the suspension was approved. The CCS also directed Indian security forces to maintain heightened vigilance and vowed that the perpetrators and their backers would be brought to justice.
In addition to the treaty suspension, India has shut down the Attari-Wagah border crossing — a symbolic move given its daily flag-lowering ceremony witnessed by crowds on both sides. The Indian government has also expelled Pakistan’s defence advisers from its High Commission in New Delhi, giving them a week to leave. The size of the Pakistani mission will be halved by May 1, with India implementing similar reductions in Islamabad.
Pakistani nationals in India under the Saarc Visa Exemption Scheme have been ordered to leave within 48 hours, and all such visas have been cancelled. Others may return by 1 May via the Attari crossing before it fully closes.
In Islamabad, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif firmly denied any involvement in the Pahalgam attack, calling India’s response reckless. Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Khan expressed sorrow over the loss of life and extended condolences, while also urging restraint. Pakistan’s state broadcaster reported that Thursday’s National Security Committee meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, would discuss India’s “hasty and impractical” water-related decisions and assess the broader implications.
Meanwhile, Indian forces have launched a large-scale security operation near the site of the attack, reportedly killing two suspected infiltrators. Authorities have imposed heavy security measures in the area amid fears of further unrest. Protests and shutdown calls have also emerged in occupied Kashmir in the aftermath of the incident.
International reaction has started to build. US President Donald Trump has reportedly offered Prime Minister Modi full support, while China and several other countries have condemned the attack and urged both sides to exercise caution.
The diplomatic rupture marks a sharp deterioration in already fraught India-Pakistan relations, and the suspension of the IWT could have serious long-term consequences for regional cooperation and stability.