India’s recent actions following the Pahalgam terror attack have ushered in what its government calls a “new normal” in its approach to cross-border terrorism and relations with Pakistan.

This shift was marked most notably by the launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025-a coordinated, high-precision military strike targeting nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), executed within just 25 minutes.

These strikes destroyed key terrorist infrastructure linked to groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, and resulted in significant casualties among militants, as well as confirmed losses on the Pakistani side.

Operation Sindoor represented a doctrinal shift for India, breaking with past restraint by striking deep inside Pakistan’s mainland, including areas previously considered out of bounds, such as Punjab province and Bahawalpur.

By targeting both terrorist groups and their support infrastructure, India signalled that it now regards state sponsors of terrorism as legitimate targets, erasing the earlier distinction between non-state actors and their backers.

The operation’s rapid execution and public messaging were designed to raise the costs for Pakistan’s continued support of cross-border terrorism and to send a clear message to both Islamabad and the international community that India’s tolerance for such attacks has ended.

In parallel with its military response, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) for the first time since its inception in 1960.

The government declared that the treaty, which regulates the sharing of the Indus river system between the two countries, would remain in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably abjures” support for terrorism.

This move, taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security, was justified by India as a response to decades of cross-border terrorism and a signal that goodwill agreements would not survive continued hostile acts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored this stance in his address, stating, “Terror and talks cannot go together... Water and blood cannot flow together”.

The aftermath of Operation Sindoor saw a brief but intense period of military escalation, including retaliatory actions by Pakistan and further exchanges along the Line of Control. However, both sides agreed to a ceasefire after several days of conflict, though violations were reported soon after. Despite ongoing tensions, the ceasefire has largely held as of mid-May 2025.

Pakistan’s leadership, particularly Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, responded by warning that any tampering with the Indus Waters Treaty would be considered an act of war, even raising the spectre of nuclear retaliation. Pakistan’s National Security Committee reiterated that any diversion or stoppage of water would cross a red line.

India’s message, articulated by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, is that a new strategic reality now governs its relationship with Pakistan: any act of terrorism will invite swift, visible, and proportionate retaliation, and diplomatic or cooperative arrangements-such as the Indus Waters Treaty-will be contingent on Pakistan’s behaviour regarding terrorism.

India has also made it clear that it will not engage in discussions on Jammu and Kashmir except to demand the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Operation Sindoor and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty have established a new paradigm in India’s response to terrorism emanating from Pakistan. India’s actions are intended to force both Pakistan and the international community to adjust to this “new normal,” where the costs of supporting terrorism are significantly heightened, and the status quo of past decades is no longer tenable.

Agencies