India closes border with Pakistan and suspends Water Treaty following terrorist attack in Kashmir

India announced Wednesday a series of drastic measures against Pakistan, a day after an armed attack in Indian-administered Kashmir left 26 dead, in one of the deadliest incidents in the region in years.

Among the actions, the Indian government ordered the immediate closure of the main border crossing at Attari-Wagah, suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, and expelled Pakistani military advisers from the embassy in New Delhi, accusing Islamabad of supporting "border terrorism," a charge Pakistan strongly denies.

The attack occurred Tuesday in Baisaran, a valley near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, where gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists.

Among the victims, 24 were Indian tourists, one was from Nepal, and another was a local tour guide. At least 17 people were injured.

Indian security agencies point to the group The Resistance Front  (TRF), considered an affiliate of the Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba group, as responsible for the attack.

The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, responded angrily, attributing indirect responsibility to Pakistan. In a communique, India said that "the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account," vowing to be "unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror or conspired to make them possible."

In addition, on his X account, he noted:

“I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice...they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable, and it will get even stronger.”

For his part, defense minister Rajnath Singh added, "We will not only reach those who have perpetrated this incident but also those who, sitting behind the scenes, have conspired to commit such acts on the soil of India."

India's measures following the terrorist attack

Among the measures announced, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty, which regulates the sharing of the waters of the Indus River and its tributaries, vital for agriculture and power generation in Pakistan.

In addition, it closed the Attari-Wagah border crossing, a symbolic point where the two countries have held a daily military ceremony since 1959, and cancelled SAARC visas for Pakistani citizens, ordering those in India to leave the country within 48 hours. Pakistani military advisers in New Delhi were also ordered to leave immediately, with more diplomatic expulsions planned next week.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs, through Secretary Vikram Misri, justified these actions following a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, which confirmed "cross-border links" in the attack.

The attack has not only devastated tourism in Kashmir, which had been experiencing a recent boom, but also threatens to escalate tensions between two historic neighbors. As the families of the victims mourn, India and Pakistan face a new chapter of hostilities.