Muscat: On Thursday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs announced an immediate suspension of visa services for Pakistani nationals and revoked all valid Indian visas issued to them, effective April 27, 2025. Medical visas, however, will remain valid until April 29. The government also advised Indian citizens currently in Pakistan to return home at the earliest.

The decision follows a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting after the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which targeted a group of tourists and left 26 people dead.

In response, Pakistan’s government initiated a range of countermeasures. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office declared the Indian Defence, Naval, and Air Advisers in Islamabad as persona non grata, instructing them to leave immediately. Pakistan also cancelled visas for Indian citizens, except for Sikh pilgrims, and announced the closure of its borders, cancellation of trade ties, and a ban on Indian-operated airlines in its airspace.

Furthermore, India has recalled several of its diplomats from Pakistan and asked Pakistani diplomatic staff to leave New Delhi. Both nations agreed to scale down their diplomatic missions, with staff numbers reducing from 55 to 30 by May 1.

One of the most significant developments is India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, a water-sharing agreement that has endured despite the nations fighting two wars and multiple skirmishes since its signing in 1960. The treaty, brokered by the World Bank, governs the flow of critical rivers shared between the countries and is vital for Pakistan’s agriculture.