India Suspends Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan Following Pahalgam Terror Attack
In a decisive response to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan. This move marks a significant escalation in Indo-Pakistani relations, reflecting India’s stance against cross-border terrorism.
The Pahalgam Tragedy
On April 22, 2025, terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in the scenic Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, resulting in 26 fatalities and numerous injuries. Claiming responsibility for the incident, the Resistance Front (TRF), a surrogate of the proscribed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, since the 2019 Pulwama attack, this incident is the bloodiest one in the area.
Related topic: Pahalgam Massacre: 28 Tourists Killed in Kashmir’s Deadliest Civilian Attack Since 2019
India’s Retaliatory Measures
Following this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting that resulted in various punishing policies directed against Pakistan:
- Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty: India has placed the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, citing Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism.
- Closure of the Wagah-Attari Border: The Integrated Check Post at the Wagah-Attari border is closed with a deadline of May 1, 2025, for individuals who have already crossed over to return.
- Revocation of SAARC Visa Exemptions: Every visa issued to Pakistani citizens has been revoked. Current SVES visa holders have 48 hours to leave India.
- Expulsion of Pakistani Military Advisors: Declared persona non grata, Pakistani Military Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi—defence, military, naval, and air advisers—must depart within a week. India will also remove its military advisers from Islamabad.
- Reduction of Diplomatic Staff: By May 1, 2025, the strength of the high commissions in both countries will drop from 55 to 30 staff members.
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Implications of the Indus Waters Treaty Suspension
Signed in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty controls the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan. Under the Indus Waters Treaty, India manages the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej), whereas Pakistan manages the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab). Former India’s Indus Water Commissioner, Pradeep Kumar Saxena, said that, noting basic changes in circumstances, India, as the top riparian state, has several alternatives, including the possible abrogation of the pact under Article 62 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
In the wake of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, chaired a meeting of the CCS at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. pic.twitter.com/bZj5gggp5l
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 23, 2025
Potential Actions by India
- Reservoir Flushing: Treaty limits on reservoir flushing may no longer bind India, allowing desilting activities that can affect water supply to Pakistan free rein
- Hydropower Projects: Design constraints on dams and hydroelectric projects on the western rivers may no longer apply, allowing India to go with projects previously opposed by Pakistan.
- Flood Data Sharing: India should stop providing flood data to Pakistan; this might be bad in monsoon seasons when rivers overflow.
- Tour Cancellations: Mandatory trips of Pakistani officials to Indian locations as specified in the treaty might be canceled.
These steps may have a big effect on Pakistan, especially its Punjab province, which depends mostly on the Indus and its tributaries for irrigation.
Historical Context
Drawing the line between India and Pakistan across the Indus Basin at the time of independence in 1947 left Pakistan as the lower riparian state. Important irrigation projects such as those at Ferozepur on the Sutlej River and Madhopur on the Ravi River fell inside Indian territory, sparking conflicts over water use.
India had maintained the terms of the pact notwithstanding past strife, including the Kargil War and continuing insurgency. The present suspension marks a change in India’s policy as it links water sharing directly to Pakistan’s acts on cross-border terrorism.
International Reactions
The IWT’s (Indus Waters Treaty) suspension has attracted notice from all around. India claims the right to react to terrorism, but Pakistan has denounced the action, calling it “water warfare.” Global leaders pushing moderation and communication have helped to lower tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
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