India halts water treaty with Pakistan, expels diplomats after Kashmir attack

India has announced a series of diplomatic actions against Pakistan following the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, where 26 people were killed, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen.

According to a statement on Wednesday from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) was briefed in detail on the cross-border linkages of the attack, which targeted civilians in the popular Baisaran Valley during peak tourist season.

Among the measures announced, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, which governs the use and distribution of river waters shared with Pakistan. The government said the treaty would remain in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ceases its support for cross-border terrorism.

The Integrated Check Post at Attari, a major land border crossing between India and Pakistan, has been ordered closed with immediate effect. However, Pakistani nationals who entered India legally may return through the checkpoint until May 1, 2025.

India will also revoke all SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas issued to Pakistani nationals. Those currently in India under SVES visas have been given 48 hours to leave the country.

In addition, the Defence, Naval, and Air Advisors posted at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been declared persona non grata and must leave India within a week. India will withdraw its own military advisers from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, and the roles will be formally annulled. Five additional support staff will also be removed from both diplomatic missions.

The CCS further decided that the overall staff strength at both High Commissions will be reduced from the current 55 to 30 personnel, with the reductions to take effect by May 1.

Tuesday’s attack saw armed militants open fire on tourists in Pahalgam, resulting in the deaths of 26 people. Among the victims were an officer from India’s Navy and an officer from the Intelligence Bureau. Several others were injured in what authorities described as one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the region in recent years.

Responsibility for the attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a group Indian officials describe as a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. TRF said in a statement that the attack was a response to the Indian government’s issuance of domicile certificates to non-locals, which it claimed represented a demographic threat to Kashmir.

Wednesday’s measures represent one of India’s most significant diplomatic responses in recent years and signals a deterioration in relations with Pakistan. The CCS also directed all national security forces to remain on high alert.