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India bans Pakistani ships from its ports over security concerns after Pahalgam attack
The Indian government stated that the move aims to protect national interests, including the 'safety of Indian assets, cargo, and related infrastructure'
- PUBLISHED: Sat 3 May 2025, 12:29 PM
India on Saturday imposed an immediate ban on all Pakistan-flagged ships from entering its ports, citing national security risks.
The official directive prohibits Pakistan-flagged vessels from visiting Indian ports, while Indian-flagged ships are likewise prohibited from docking at any port in Pakistan.
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The Indian government stated that the move aims to protect national interests, including the "safety of Indian assets, cargo, and related infrastructure, in public interest and for the interest of Indian shipping.”
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The ban will remain in effect until further notice.
This decision follows the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which claimed the lives of at least 26 people — most of them tourists — and has heightened security tensions in the region.
The shipping ban is part of a broader set of retaliatory measures India has launched in response to the Pahalgam attack, which authorities blame on Pakistan-based militant groups.
Adding to the economic pressure, India has also banned the import of goods originating from or transiting through Pakistan.
In a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, the government said the ban is being enforced "in the interest of national security and public policy."
Islamabad, however, denies involvement in the Pahalgam attack and claims to have “credible intelligence” that India is planning military action. In response, Pakistan has taken its own retaliatory steps: halting all cross-border trade, closing its airspace to Indian carriers, and expelling Indian diplomats.
It has also warned that any attempt to prevent the flow of river water promised under a decades-old treaty between the two nations would be considered an act of war.
Trade between the two nations has dwindled over the last few years.
(With inputs from Reuters)