In a strong diplomatic response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, India has announced the cancellation of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals, effective immediately. The move was confirmed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who stated that all SVES visas issued to Pakistani citizens are now considered void, and any Pakistani currently in India under this scheme has 48 hours to leave.
This decision was taken during a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and is one of several steps aimed at intensifying diplomatic and strategic pressure on Pakistan following the Pahalgam tragedy. The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) proxy unit.
What is the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme?
Established in 1992, the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) was created to foster regional cooperation and ease travel between member nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) — namely India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Afghanistan.
Under this scheme, 24 categories of individuals — including diplomats, MPs, judges, journalists, businesspersons, athletes, and cultural delegates — were allowed to travel visa-free across SAARC nations using special visa stickers valid for one year.
This marks the first time that India has entirely revoked SVES privileges for any SAARC country, signalling a significant diplomatic downgrade.
Key implications of the SVES cancellation
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All past and valid SVES visas for Pakistani nationals are now nullified.
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Pakistani citizens under this scheme in India must leave within 48 hours.
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Future travel from Pakistan to India under SVES will be entirely prohibited.
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Visa-free movement for cultural, journalistic, and diplomatic missions is suspended.
The cancellation is a major setback for cross-border cultural and business exchanges and underscores the hardening stance of the Indian government amid worsening security concerns.
Other measures India has taken post-attack
India has simultaneously introduced a series of diplomatic measures:
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Suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.
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Closure of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari Border in Amritsar.
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Reduction of staff at both nations’ high commissions to 30 each, from 55 currently, effective May 1, 2025.
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Declaration of Pakistani defence attaches as ‘persona non grata’, requiring them to leave India within a week.
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Withdrawal of Indian military advisors from Islamabad.
These decisions collectively represent one of the most comprehensive diplomatic disengagements between the two neighbours in recent years.
