India did not waste any time after the Pahalgam terror attack. On April 22, militants fired in a popular tourist meadow in South Kashmir. The shooters killed 26 tourist, most of whom were tourists. The Resistance Front (TRF), a group associated with Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, took claim of the attack immediately. Within two days, PM Narendra Modi called a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting and suspended SAARC visas. The panel consisted of the most important personnel such as Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
While during this crisis meeting, India acted with determination. Indian authorities halted the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani citizens. Alongside that, they told all Pakistanis in India right now who came on this exemption to leave within 48 hours. Through all this, India gave a transparent indication of transition from restraint towards retaliation.
What is SAARC and the Visa Exemption Scheme ?
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was formed in 1985 with the intent of promoting regional cooperation and development in South Asia. Consisting of eight member states—India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives—SAARC sought to advance peace, economic prosperity, and cultural exchange by enhancing the relationship between neighbouring states.
To enable this vision, SAARC launched the Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) in 1992. The scheme, which was first debated at the Fourth SAARC Summit in Islamabad in 1988, enabled high-ranking officials, dignitaries, and certain professionals from member states to move freely across the region without having to apply for conventional visas.
Rather, these people were given special “visa exemption stickers” that allowed them unlimited travel for a year, facilitating increased mobility and encouraging closer relations between the two nations.
Who Could Use the SAARC Visa?
The ‘visa stickers’ were not for common citizens. The scheme, however, benefited 24 categories of individuals. They included senior government officials, Supreme Court judges, MPs, journalists, business leaders, scholars, sportsmen, and civil society activists. For Pakistan, only a few individuals from particular professional groups qualified.
India was also cautious when issuing these visas. Even prior to this week’s ruling, the Indian government had made Pakistani applicants’ rules stricter. For instance, only financially sound businessmen were eligible to apply. These visas were not without restrictions—travel was still restricted to 15 approved cities and needed security clearance. India granted a three-year multi-entry visa to such special-category applicants from Pakistan since 2015. However, the rules were still stricter for Pakistani nationals than for other SAARC citizens.
Who Will Be Affected by the SAARC Visa Suspension?
The suspension of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani citizens directly impacts a small but powerful group. Journalists, parliamentarians, scholars, and entrepreneurs who had hitherto depended on the scheme to travel to India for summits, conferences, or cross-border events can no longer do so under this avenue. Their profession—frequently revolving around dialogue, reporting, and collaboration—now stands abruptly disrupted.
This step also terminates cultural and sporting personalities who relied on SVES to create people-to-people connections. From commerce delegations to peace platforms, those perceived as bridges between Pakistan and India now realize that path firmly closed. In an area where diplomatic interaction is already thin, the visa suspension again isolates civilian voices that used to keep things moving.
Why India Chose to Suspend the Visa Scheme ?
India acted quickly and decisively because of the brutality of the Pahalgam attack. The location of the massacre—a peaceful tourist spot—shocked the nation. The timing, just ahead of summer tourism in Kashmir, made the attack even more devastating. Most importantly, the link to Pakistan-based terrorists confirmed New Delhi’s long-standing fears of cross-border support for militancy.
The Modi government announced its plans at the CCS meeting. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that all SVES visas issued to Pakistanis were canceled. He provided a tight 48-hour window for any Pakistani in India under this scheme to depart. India aimed at a program that facilitated some Pakistani citizens with easy access to Indian soil by suspending the scheme.
What This Means for SAARC’s Future ?
India’s move to cancel the visa exemption raises questions about the very existence of SAARC. Although the grouping continues to exist on paper, its utility has been on the wane in recent years. India has not attended summits convened by Pakistan since 2016. Regional projects and trade agreements have been stalled. Now, with the cancellation of the SVES for Pakistani citizens, even people-to-people connections have suffered.
This move reflects the profound distrust between the region’s two largest nations. As SAARC sought to bridge divides, successive terror attacks have drained that hope. India’s stance indicates that national security now takes precedence over regional diplomacy. Unless things improve significantly, SAARC might be a broken alliance with minimal relevance.
India Redraws Its Red Lines
India’s suspension of the SAARC visa waiver for Pakistanis is not a knee-jerk reaction. It is a significant policy change. The Indian government prefers immediate, concrete action to prolonged diplomatic notices. This way, it hopes to keep pressure on Pakistan while mobilizing international pressure.
This new strategy fits within a greater doctrine—zero tolerance for terrorism, no matter the diplomatic expense. India is drawing new red lines. The government desires to demonstrate that terror acts won’t be merely denounced—they’ll be followed by firm action.
Shift in Diplomacy Post-Pahalgam Attack
India has decided to act, not react. Suspending the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistanis is a decision that goes beyond anger—it is a decision that indicates a new national strategy. In a region of delicate peace and high-stakes politics, India has drawn a line in the sand.
Though the human cost of terror attacks such as the one in Pahalgam continues to be the greatest tragedy, India’s reaction indicates that violence will now dictate diplomacy in South Asia. The SAARC dream may have faded, but India’s determination to protect its people burns brighter than ever.
