The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi shaking hands with the then President of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after the Shimla Agreement.
Pahalgam Terror Attack: Recently, terrorists attacked tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people died. After this incident, the Indian government took many major decisions against Pakistan, but the biggest decision was to cancel the more than 60 years old Indus Water Agreement between the two countries. In response, Pakistan has threatened to cancel the Shimla Agreement signed with India in 1972.
In fact, we all know that relations between India and Pakistan have been tense and complex since the partition in 1947. Many wars, border disputes and political differences were seen between the two countries. Nevertheless, from time to time both the countries made many important agreements for peace, cooperation and reducing tension. Today we will discuss in detail some of the major agreements made between India and Pakistan after independence and try to know what was the purpose, historical context and need of these agreements.
Nehru-Liaquat Pact (1950)
After the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, large-scale communal violence occurred in both the countries. Millions of people were displaced, and the security of Muslims in India and Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan was jeopardized. To resolve this crisis, on April 8, 1950, India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan’s first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan signed a pact, which is called the Nehru-Liaquat Pact.
The main objective of this pact was to protect the rights of minorities in both the countries. Both countries agreed that they will not discriminate against minorities in their respective countries and will ensure their religious, cultural and economic freedom. Refugees were allowed to return to their countries to sell or manage their properties. Also, both the countries promised to stop activities that incite violence. Under the agreement, minority commissions were established in both the countries, which resolved the complaints.
This pact was the first major effort to reduce the post-partition chaos and restore trust between the two countries. Although the pact was not fully implemented, it laid the foundation for future cooperation.
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Indus Waters Agreement (1960)
The Indus River and its tributaries are the basis of agriculture and economy for both India and Pakistan. After partition, tension regarding water sharing had increased. To resolve this dispute, the Indus Water Agreement was signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960 under the mediation of the World Bank. This agreement was signed by Jawaharlal Nehru on behalf of India and the then President General Ayub Khan on behalf of Pakistan.
Under this agreement, six rivers of Indus river base were divided into two parts. The eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) were allotted to India, while the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) were allotted to Pakistan. Pakistan gets the water of these western rivers, which is about 80% of its total water. Also, under this, India can make limited use of the water of western rivers, such as for power generation and irrigation, but it cannot stop or divert their flow. The agreement established a permanent Indus Commission to resolve and take care of the rest of the issues related to it.
The Indus Water Agreement has been one of the most durable agreements between the two countries. It remained in force for more than 60 years despite many wars and tensions, but recently a committee headed by Prime Minister Modi took a decision to cancel it.
Shimla Agreement (1972)
After the India–Pakistan War of 1971, in which India won and Bangladesh became an independent country, both countries tried to establish peace. On July 2, 1972, the Shimla Agreement was signed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the then President of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Shimla.
The purpose of this agreement was to normalize relations between the two countries after the war and lay the foundation for lasting peace. Its major provisions included that both the countries would resolve all disputes through bilateral negotiations and would not seek arbitration from any third party. The ceasefire line was formalized as the Line of Control (LoC), which both countries promised to respect.
India decided to return 15,000 square kilometers of Pakistani land and 90,000 prisoners of war captured during the war. In the agreement, both countries committed to refrain from the use of force and promote peaceful coexistence.
Shimla Agreement was an important step for both the countries. However, its full impact remained limited due to the Kashmir dispute and tension on the Line of Control. After the Indian government’s decision to cancel the Indus Water Agreement, Pakistan has threatened to cancel it too.
Nuclear Risk Reduction Agreement (1988)
In 1988, India and Pakistan signed an agreement to reduce the risks related to nuclear weapons. This agreement was signed by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto. Its purpose was to reduce the fear of nuclear war and avoid misunderstandings between the two countries.
Under this agreement, both countries agreed that they would not attack each other’s nuclear installations. For this, both the countries share the list of their nuclear establishments with each other on January 1 every year. This process has been going on regularly since 1992. The agreement also said that both countries will increase mutual communication to avoid the use of nuclear weapons.
The agreement was an important step towards building trust between the two nuclear-armed countries and reducing the risk of war. It is still in effect today and both countries regularly send information to each other.
Lahore Agreement (1999)
Tensions in South Asia increased after nuclear tests by both countries in 1998. To reduce this tension, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Lahore in February 1999 through a historic bus tour. There he signed the Lahore Agreement with the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif on February 21, 1999.
The objective of this agreement was to promote peace and stability between the two countries. The two leaders promised to stop the use of nuclear weapons, cooperate against terrorism and resolve all issues, including Kashmir, through bilateral dialogue. In addition, both countries emphasized on enhancing trade, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts. The agreement also talked about exchange of information to reduce the risks related to nuclear weapons.
The Lahore Agreement had raised hopes of restoring trust between the two countries. But a few months later, in May 1999, the Kargil war started, in which Pakistani army and terrorists intruded into Indian territory. Pakistan had to face defeat in this war also. This completely weakened this agreement.
Ceasefire Agreement on the Line of Control (2003)
There was frequent firing and tension along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan. To reduce this tension, on November 26, 2003, both countries agreed to a ceasefire agreement. This agreement was signed under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the then President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf.
Under this agreement, both the countries promised to stop firing and military activities on the Line of Control and the international border. Its objective was to ensure the safety of people living in the border areas and to reduce tension between the two countries. There was peace on the border for some time after the agreement, and trade and movement of people between the two countries increased.
However, this ceasefire did not remain effective for long. Tension along the Line of Control increased again after the 2008 Mumbai attacks and other terrorist incidents. Nevertheless, both countries committed to re-implement this ceasefire in 2021.
Joint Anti-Terrorist Mechanism (2006)
Terrorism growing in Pakistan has always been a big issue for India. To fight this, in 2006, India and Pakistan agreed to establish a Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism. The decision was taken during a summit between then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Havana, Cuba.
The objective of this mechanism was to provide information related to terrorism between the two countries and to cooperate to stop terrorist activities. Both countries promised to take joint action against terrorism and cooperate with each other in investigating terrorist incidents.
However, this system was not very effective. After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, India termed this mechanism ineffective as it felt that Pakistan was not taking serious action against terrorism. Nevertheless, the agreement was an attempt at dialogue between the two countries on the issue of terrorism.
Visa Agreement (2012)
India and Pakistan signed a visa agreement on September 8, 2012 to enhance people-to-people contacts. On this agreement the then Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna and the then Foreign Minister of Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar signed. Its objective was to facilitate trade, tourism and cultural exchange.
This agreement simplified visa rules. Visa process eased for businessmen, senior citizens (above 65 years) and children below 12 years of age. Steps were taken such as encouraging group tourism and extending the duration of single-entry visas. Both countries agreed to speed up the visa application process and provide visa-on-arrival facility in more cities. The agreement also provided that both countries would inform each other before the visit.
This agreement was an important step towards restoring trust between the two countries and increasing people-to-people contacts. However, due to terrorist incidents and political tensions, the full benefits of this agreement could not be taken advantage of.
Kartarpur Corridor Agreement (2019)
India and Pakistan signed the Kartarpur Corridor Agreement on October 24, 2019, to fulfill the long-standing demand of the Sikh community. The agreement allows Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan, where Guru Nanak Dev spent the last years of his life, for visa-free travel.
Under this agreement, a 4.5 kilometer long corridor was built, which connects India’s Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur. Pilgrims can use this corridor with a valid passport or Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card and are required to return to India on the same day. A limit of 5,000 pilgrims per day was set, which could be increased on certain occasions. The corridor is open from dawn to dusk throughout the year (except public holidays and emergencies). This agreement was extended for another five years in 2024.
First Published – April 24, 2025 | 9:40 PM IST
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