India on Thursday formally wrote to Pakistan informing it about New Delhi’s decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance with immediate effect, saying Islamabad breached treaty conditions.
The decision to suspend decades-old treaty comes in the aftermath of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed on Tuesday.
India said that sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting Jammu and Kashmir impedes India’s rights under Indus Water Treaty.
Signed in 1960, the treaty allocates the eastern rivers — Sutlej, Beas and Ravi — to India and the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — to Pakistan.
“The Govt of India has hereby decided that the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect,” reads a letter from Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti to Syed Ali Murtaza, Secretary of Pakistan Ministry of Water Resources.
“The obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental to a treaty. However, what we have seen instead is sustained cross border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter stated.
Further stating that the resulting security uncertainties have directly impeded India’s full utilization of its rights under the Treaty, India added, “Furthermore, apart from other breaches committed by it, Pakistan has refused to respond to India’s request to enter into negotiations as envisaged under the Treaty and is thus in breach of the Treaty.”
Over the last two days, downgrading diplomatic ties to retaliate against Pahalgam attack, India has taken several measures, including the expulsion of its military attachés, closing the integrated Check Post at Attari, and suspending visa services to Pakistani nationals, while revoking existing visas.
“All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from April 27. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from 27 April 2025,” said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
India also asked its nationals to avoid travelling to Pakistan and those in Pakistan were asked to return to India at the earliest.
The Border Security Force (BSF) also ‘scaled down’ the beating retreat ceremony at Attari, Hussainiwala and Sadki along the India-Pakistan border.
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