India Responds to Pakistan's Ceasefire Violation and Retaliates Following Pahalgam Attack

Escalation Along the LoC

On Thursday night, Pakistani troops opened fire on several Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, a move which was swiftly met with an effective response from the Indian Army. Military sources confirmed to NDTV that there were incidents of small arms fire at some locations along the LoC initiated by Pakistan. Despite the tension, no casualties were reported, as the Indian security forces "effectively responded" to the Pakistani assault.

The firing by Pakistan Army comes amid increasing tensions between the two sides over the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people (File photo) | Business Standard

This incident comes just days after the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead, including a Nepali national. The attack has escalated tensions between India and Pakistan, leading to retaliatory actions from India. (Business Standard)

India's Retaliatory Measures

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, India has taken a series of strict actions against Pakistan, including the expulsion of Pakistani military attachés, suspension of the over six-decade-old Indus Waters Treaty, and the immediate closure of the Attari land-transit post. These measures are in response to Pakistan's "cross-border links" to the Pahalgam attack, which reignited the long-standing conflict.

On Thursday, India formally notified Pakistan that the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which has governed water-sharing between the two nations since 1960, would take effect immediately. In a letter from the Union Ministry of Water Resources to Syed Ali Murtuza, Secretary in Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources, India emphasized that the core principle of honoring a treaty in good faith had been violated by Pakistan’s consistent cross-border terrorism targeting Jammu and Kashmir.

The letter further highlighted that Pakistan had ignored India’s repeated efforts to address key issues related to the treaty, despite "fundamental changes in the circumstances" since the treaty was signed. These changes include altered population demographics, the need for clean energy development, and shifting assumptions about water-sharing, all of which have created uncertainties that affect India’s ability to fully utilize its rights under the treaty.

India also noted that Pakistan’s refusal to engage in negotiations as stipulated by the treaty amounted to a direct breach of the agreement. This comes just after Pakistan threatened to suspend all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Pact of 1972, which validates the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. (NDTV)

Conclusion

India’s swift military retaliation, coupled with the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and other measures, underscores the country’s firm stance in the face of repeated provocations by Pakistan. The decision to halt the treaty was made during a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, PM Modi had pledged to “identify, track, and punish” the terrorists and their supporters, signaling India’s determination to confront terrorism and uphold its sovereignty.