India has taken some very strong and serious steps after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. In this attack, 26 people were killed, including one foreign national. The Indian government says that this attack had "cross-border linkages", meaning it was connected to terrorists based in Pakistan.

Because of this, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which is the country’s top group for taking decisions on national security, held a special meeting. After studying the situation, the CCS decided to punish Pakistan for supporting terrorism.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri gave a briefing and said:

"In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out. It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development."

He added:

"Recognising the seriousness of this terrorist attack, the CCS decided upon the following measures:"

These are the five strict steps that India has taken:

  1. Indus Waters Treaty suspended:
    The treaty signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan is now held in abeyance, which means it is paused. India said it will not follow the agreement until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism”.

  2. Attari-Wagah Border closed:
    The Integrated Check Post at Attari-Wagah, which is the main land border crossing between India and Pakistan, is now closed.
    People who have already crossed into India can return through the same border, but only before 01 May 2025.

  3. SAARC visa exemption cancelled for Pakistanis:
    India will not allow Pakistani nationals to travel under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) anymore.
    All SVES visas given earlier are now cancelled. If any Pakistani is in India using this visa, they must leave within 48 hours.

  4. Military diplomats ordered to leave:
    All defence or military officers, like naval and air advisers from Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi, are declared persona non grata, meaning they are no longer welcome.
    They have one week to leave India.
    Similarly, Indian military staff in Pakistan will be withdrawn. India and Pakistan will also remove five support staff from both embassies.

  5. Staff at High Commissions reduced:
    The number of staff in both Indian and Pakistani High Commissions will be reduced to 30 from the current 55. This change will happen by 01 May 2025.

Mr Misri also said that the Indian government is ready to take strong steps to punish the attackers and those who helped them. He added:

“The CCS reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigilance. It was resolved that the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account. As with the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, India will be unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror or conspired to make them possible.”

Why the Indus Water Treaty suspension is enormous

The Indus Waters Treaty is one of the oldest and most important agreements between India and Pakistan. It was signed on September 19, 1960, with the help of the World Bank.
This treaty has continued even during the wars between the two countries in 1965, 1971, and 1999. But now, it has been suspended for the first time.

Under the treaty:

  • India controls the waters of the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers.

  • Pakistan controls the waters of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers.

This treaty has been a rare example of peaceful cooperation between India and Pakistan. Even when relations between the two countries were bad, the treaty remained in place.

In 2019, after the Pulwama terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that

“Blood and water can’t flow together.”
But the government did not suspend the treaty at that time.

Now, after the Pahalgam attack by a group called The Resistance Front (which is an offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba), India has decided to suspend it.

This decision is a big problem for Pakistan. That’s because experts have been warning that Pakistan is facing a water crisis. The country is running out of clean water due to:

  • fast population growth,

  • climate change,

  • and poor water management.

In the past, when India thought about stopping the treaty, Pakistan had warned that such a step would be seen as “an act of war”.
But now, India’s patience has run out. The government believes that Pakistan is still using terrorism as a tool of state policy, and this suspension sends a clear message.

Water Resources Minister CR Paatil said:

"In the past too, an ultimatum was given to them (Pakistan) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Action was taken in the past, and this time too the perpetrators shall not be spared. As for the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, it has been a very good decision taken by the Cabinet."

What is SVES and why it matters

The SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) allows important people from South Asian countries to travel without a visa. This includes 24 categories of people, like politicians, judges, senior government officers, businesspeople, journalists, and athletes. But now, India has removed Pakistan from this scheme. All SVES visas given to Pakistani nationals are cancelled. If any Pakistani national is currently in India under this scheme, they must leave the country within 48 hours.

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