India bans all imports from Pakistan

India's Ministry of Commerce has imposed a complete ban on the import of all goods from Pakistan. The decision was made in the interest of national security following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22. Indian intelligence agencies claim that the attack was directly linked to Pakistani militant groups.

The Ministry of Commerce issued a notice on Saturday (May 3), stating, “From now on, no goods will be allowed to be imported from Pakistan, either directly or indirectly. This decision has been taken by the central government due to national security concerns and will remain in effect until further notice.”

According to Indian statistics, India had already imposed a 200% tariff on Pakistani goods after the 2019 Pulwama attack, which had effectively halted trade between the two countries. As a result, in the 2024–25 fiscal year, imports from Pakistan made up less than 0.0001% of India’s total imports.

In this context, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah stated, “There will be no trade talks with Pakistan until terrorism is completely eliminated from Jammu and Kashmir.”

Along with the trade ban, India has also taken several other strict measures. One of them is the suspension of the historic Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960. Under this treaty, Pakistan received water from the Indus River system. However, citing Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism across the border, India has now threatened to stop the water flow to Pakistan.

India has also cancelled all types of visas issued to Pakistani nationals. Pakistani citizens currently in India — including those on medical visas — have been instructed to leave the country within a specified period.

Additionally, India has banned Pakistani-flagged ships from entering Indian ports, and Indian ships are also barred from docking at Pakistani ports.

In response, Pakistan is considering terminating all bilateral agreements with India, including the 1972 Simla Agreement. Pakistan has also closed its land and airspace to India.

Moreover, Pakistan has expelled Indian diplomats and reduced the staff at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad from 55 to 30 members.