Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Saturday, 21 June 2025 that Indus Water Treaty (Indus Waters Treaty) would never be restored with Pakistan after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025. He said, “Pakistan will have to face water starvation.” Shah also informed that India will now stop the water from the rivers going to Pakistan and build a 160 km long canal to Rajasthan, which will benefit Indian farmers.
Tension in Indo-Pakistan relations reached the peak after the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, in which 26 tourists died. The responsibility of this attack was taken by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) proxy organization The Resistance Front (TRF). In response to this, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty with immediate effect and took several diplomatic steps, such as the order of Pakistan citizens to leave the country, closing the attic-wagah border, and banning Pakistani flights from Indian airspace. Shah said, “We will take water for India’s rights. The water that Pakistan was getting improperly will now be waved towards Rajasthan.” He also clarified that this decision is irreversible, and international treaties cannot be applicable with countries promoting terrorism.
Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor on 22 April 2025, the terrorist attack in Besaran in Pahalgam shook the entire country. 25 Indians and one Nepali citizens were killed in this attack. India started ‘Operation Sindoor’ on 7 May 2025, considering it a proof of Pakistan -sponsored terrorism. The military operation made accurate attacks on nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), including Bahawalpur of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Muridke of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The Defense Ministry said that more than 100 terrorists were killed in these attacks, and no Pakistani military hideouts were targeted. The operation was named ‘Sindoor’ in honor of women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi monitored the campaign and described it as a “symbol of justice”. Pakistan’s response and war Pakistan termed India’s attacks as “war action” and carried out heavily on the Line of Control (LOC) from 7-10 May.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army killed 35-40 Pakistani soldiers in retaliation, while India lost five soldiers. Pakistan shut down the Indian airspace and broke all business relations. On May 10, the two countries announced a ceasefire by the mediation of US President Donald Trump. Pakistan filed a complaint against India at the United Nations, but India’s permanent representative Parvathaneni Harish said that over 20,000 Indian terrorist attacks have been killed in the last four decades, and Pakistan is a “global center” of terrorism.