New Delhi/IBNS: The Indian Government on Tuesday evening suspended the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan indefinitely as a part of some strict measures taken against Islamabad over the "cross-border linkages" that emerged during the investigation into the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack, which saw the death of 26 civilians including a foreign national.

The decisions were taken at the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The CCS is the country's highest decision-making body on national security.

"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," an official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs stated.

Announcing the measure, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri 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."

With this, the water supply from the Indus River and its distributaries, including the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Satluj, will be stopped for Pakistan.

These rivers supply the water requirements for Pakistan and impact tens of millions of people in the neighbouring country.

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan on September 19, 1960, with the World Bank brokering the agreement. That treaty remained steady despite the three wars between India and Pakistan - in 1965, 1971, and 1999, but is now suspended indefinitely.

Key decisions by Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)

1. 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.

2. The Integrated Check Post at the Attari-Wagah border will be closed with immediate effect. "Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before 01 May 2025," Misri said.

3. Pakistani nationals, henceforth, will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas.Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under an SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India, he said.

4. The Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata. They have a week to leave India. India will also be withdrawing its own Defence/Navy/Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.

5. The overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effected by 1 May 2025.

Misri also announced that, "The CCS reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigil. It 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."

Significance of the Indus Water Treaty

For over six decades, the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) has been crucial in facilitating peaceful water sharing between India and Pakistan, even during times of heightened political and military tensions.

The treaty favours Pakistan, which is the downstream country, allowing it access to approximately 80% of the Indus River system's waters.

The Permanent Indus Commission, the body responsible for resolving disputes, continued its functions even during the wars of 1965 and 1971, demonstrating the resilience of the treaty framework. 

Despite facing multiple terror attacks, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack, India had not withdrawn from the treaty until the Pahalgam attack.

Pahalgam Massacre

Twenty-six tourists died after terrorists identified them as non-Muslims and gunned them down in Baisaran meadows, a popular destination in Pahalgam.

World leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, condemned the attack.

The terrorists, who were apparently in camouflage, reportedly asked the victims to chant Islamic verse, pull down their pants to check circumcision in a bid to confirm their Hindu identities before gunning them down. Two among the dead were non-Muslim foreigners.