Indus Waters Treaty not part of ceasefire talks: Sources

Even as India and Pakistan agreed upon ceasefire, government sources told India Today that the Indus Waters Treaty—suspended by India in response to the recent Pahalgam attack—remains outside the scope of these negotiations. 

Sources confirmed to India Today that the treaty will continue to be kept in abeyance and that India's zero-tolerance policy against terrorism stands firm, regardless of the truce.

 

According to sources, existing measures such as water restrictions, trade barriers, and diplomatic and financial sanctions against Pakistan will persist unchanged despite the ceasefire deal. "The cessation of hostilities does not equate to any dilution in our counter-terror posture," they emphasized.

 

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir's former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the ceasefire announcement, describing it as a "positive step" but lamented that valuable lives might have been spared had the agreement come earlier. "If the ceasefire had taken place two or three days earlier, lives could have been saved," Abdullah said while urging the administration to expedite relief efforts for affected civilians.

 

Calling for immediate medical support and compensation, he added, "Those injured must receive proper treatment and be covered under government relief schemes." He also pointed out the significant disruption caused by the prolonged closure of air services in the region. "Our airport has been shut for many days. We hope operations will resume following the ceasefire," Abdullah remarked.

 

In a key diplomatic move to de-escalate tensions, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart earlier this week. Both sides agreed to halt military actions across all domains—land, sea, and air—effective from 1700 hours IST.

Misri further disclosed that clear instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire on the ground. Another round of DGMO-level talks has been scheduled for May 12 at noon to review compliance and address further steps toward sustaining peace.