India Officially Halts Indus Waters Treaty Citing Fundamental Changes Post-Pahalgam Terror Attack

New Delhi, April 25, 2025 – The Indian government has formally notified Pakistan of its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, marking a historic shift in bilateral water-sharing agreements. The move follows the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people, including 25 Indian nationals and a Nepali citizen, were killed.

According to sources, Jal Shakti Ministry Secretary Debashree Mukherjee conveyed the decision to Pakistan’s Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza through a formal communication. The letter stated that the Treaty was being held in abeyance “with immediate effect” due to “fundamental changes in the circumstances” since the agreement was first signed. These changes, the letter noted, necessitate a reassessment of obligations under the Treaty and its Annexures.

This decision comes on the heels of a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs, convened to address national security concerns in the aftermath of the terror strike near Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow.

India has also taken a series of parallel diplomatic steps aimed at isolating Pakistan. These include the closure of the Integrated Check Post at Attari, the suspension of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals, and a directive for them to exit India within 40 hours. Both countries will also see reduced diplomatic presence, with a cut in the number of officers in their respective High Commissions.

The Indus Waters Treaty, often cited as one of the most durable international water agreements, was brokered by the World Bank after nine years of negotiation. It divided control of the rivers: the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India and the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan, while allowing limited usage across borders. India currently accesses just 20 percent of the water under this framework.

With this suspension, the future of bilateral water cooperation enters uncertain territory, raising regional concerns over river resource management and hydropower development.