'Bharat strikes back': Assam CM lauds India's suspension of Indus Waters Treaty

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has strongly endorsed India's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, describing it as a decisive response to cross-border terrorism. In a pointed message shared on social media on April 24, Sarma characterised the move as the beginning of a new chapter in India's approach to national security.

"A beginning has been made, Bharat will take it to its logical conclusion. Pakistan must understand that this is the New India," Sarma tweeted, framing the suspension as a "calibrated, lawful, and strategic measure" designed to hold Pakistan accountable for terrorist activities.

The suspension, announced on April 23, comes in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam's Baisaran Valley that claimed 26 lives and injured more than 20 people. The victims included tourists from several Indian states, foreign nationals from Nepal and the UAE, and two local residents.

Security agencies have identified three main suspects in the attack and believe the operation was directed by Saifullah Khalid, the deputy chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba, operating from Pakistani territory.

Top-level security meetings have been held across Srinagar and New Delhi since the attack, with India's response signalling what Sarma called "a new era of assertive diplomacy where water security is aligned with national security."