India stalls key Indus Water Treaty, shuts land border with Pakistan

India has stalled a key water-sharing treating with neighbouring Pakistan, the foreign ministry said Wednesday, a day after gunmen in Kashmir carried out the region's worst attack on civilians in years.

"The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism", India's top career diplomat Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi.

India is to shut the main land border with arch-rival Pakistan, the foreign ministry said.

India's top career diplomat Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi that the border crossing at Attari-Wagah border "will be closed with immediate effect", adding that those with valid travel documents may return before May 1.

Addressing a press conference on the matter today, Misri said the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), India’s’s highest-decision making body on national security, held a meeting today under Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the incident.

“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 the elections in the union territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development. Recognising the seriousness of this terrorist attack, the CCS decided upon the following measures: the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.”

The Indus Water Treaty is a water-sharing agreement between Pakistan and India, facilitated by the World Bank. It allocates the waters of the Indus River system between the two countries.

Responding to media queries concerning the attack earlier today, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Khan in a statement said: “We are concerned at the loss of tourists’ lives in an attack in Anantnag district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“We extend our condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he added.

In his other announcements, the Indian foreign secretary said movement at the Attari border check post would be closed with immediate effect. “Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1, 2025,” he added.

“Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the Saarc Visa Exemption Scheme,” he said, adding that all such visas issued in the past were deemed cancelled and any Pakistani in India under the scheme had 48 hours to leave the country.

“The defence, military, naval and air advisers at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared persona non grata. They have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own defence, navy and air advisers from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad,” he said, adding that the posts were deemed annulled and their support staff would be withdrawn as well.

He also said the overall strength of the high commissions would be curbed to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions to be implemented by May 1.

“The CCS reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigilance. It resolved that the perpetrators of this attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account.”

He said India would be “unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror or conspired to make them possible”.