India Suspends Indus Treaty, Declares Pakistani Defence Staff Non-Grata After Pahalgam Terror Attack

New Delhi: In a firm response to the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, the Central government has announced a series of sweeping diplomatic and security measures, targeting cross-border terrorism and its alleged sponsors.

The decisions were taken during a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening, 23 April, a day after the Pahalgam terror attack.

The CCS was briefed on the attack’s background, including emerging evidence pointing to cross-border linkages.

Condemning the attack in the strongest possible terms, the CCS extended condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

It acknowledged the wide international support India has received in the wake of the tragedy, noting that several countries have unequivocally condemned the attack, highlighting the global consensus against terrorism.

Decisions by CCS 

• In a press conference by the Ministry of External Affairs, it was announced that the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be suspended with immediate effect, until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ends support for cross-border terrorism. This move signals a fundamental policy shift in India’s approach to long-standing bilateral treaties in the face of national security concerns.
• The government has also shut down the Integrated Check Post at Attari, ordering that only those Pakistani nationals who entered India with valid documentation may return through that route by 1 May.
• Further, it was also decided at the CCS meet that Pakistanis will no longer be permitted to enter India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). All SVES visas issued earlier are now void and any Pakistani national currently in India under this scheme has been given 48 hours to leave.
• Escalating its diplomatic response further, India declared the military, naval, and air advisors at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi persona non grata. They are required to leave India within one week. In a reciprocal step, India will also withdraw its defence advisors from its High Commission in Islamabad. Support staff associated with these posts will also return, and the military liaison offices in both capitals will be shut down.
• Moreover, the overall diplomatic strength at both Indian and Pakistani High Commissions will be reduced from 55 to 30 personnel by 1 May, further scaling down bilateral engagement in protest of the attack.

Separately, the CCS noted the global solidarity expressed in the wake of the attack, with several governments unequivocally condemning the incident. These international expressions of support were welcomed and seen as a reflection of the global community’s increasing intolerance for terrorism.

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