India suspends Indus Waters Treaty after Pahalgam attack; Pakistan vows legal fight

India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in a significant diplomatic response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives. The move, part of a broader set of retaliatory measures, signals India's intent to hold Pakistan accountable for what it perceives as indirect support for terrorism.

Also read: India closes Attari border after Pahalgam attack, Pakistan faces trade losses worth crores

The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, one of the deadliest in the region in recent years. Following this, India has initiated multiple punitive actions, including the expulsion of Pakistani diplomats and defence officials, closure of the Wagah-Attari border, and cancellation of SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme privileges.

The suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty—brokered by the World Bank—marks a drastic escalation in bilateral tensions. Under the agreement, India, as the upper riparian state, provides around 80% of the Indus river system's water flow to Pakistan. Any disruption could have significant implications for Pakistan’s agriculture sector, which relies heavily on this water.

Pakistan has rejected the suspension, calling it a violation of international norms. Officials, including the energy and foreign ministers, have asserted that India cannot unilaterally exit a multilateral treaty. Pakistan government has promised a robust legal, diplomatic, and political response.

This latest fallout underscores the rapidly deteriorating ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours amid escalating cross-border tensions.