India Signed Simla Agreement in 1972: Pakistan Has Repeatedly Violated It

India on Wednesday marked the 54th anniversary of the signing of the Simla Agreement, a landmark peace accord signed on July 2, 1972, following the 1971 India-Pakistan war. The agreement, signed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistan President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was intended to establish a framework for peaceful bilateral relations and resolve all outstanding issues through direct dialogue. It also formalised the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh while committing both nations to avoid the use of force and promote mutual trust.

The agreement has remained central to India's position on relations with Pakistan, particularly on the Kashmir issue. India maintains that the Simla Agreement requires all disputes to be resolved bilaterally, making third-party mediation unnecessary. Pakistan, however, has continued to refer to United Nations resolutions on Kashmir and has repeatedly sought to raise the issue at international forums. This difference in interpretation has remained one of the key points of disagreement between the two countries over the decades.

Beyond dispute resolution, the Simla Agreement also placed obligations on both countries to refrain from activities that could damage peaceful relations. The pact called for preventing hostile propaganda, promoting goodwill and encouraging exchanges that would strengthen cooperation. These commitments were viewed as essential steps towards rebuilding confidence after the 1971 conflict and creating a stable foundation for future diplomatic engagement between the neighbouring countries.

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Indian officials and analysts have argued that Pakistan's continued support for cross-border terrorism has undermined the spirit of the agreement. Terrorist organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, both based in Pakistan, have been linked to several major attacks in India, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, Indian investigators said the conspiracy had cross-border links, leading India to launch Operation Sindoor against alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

India has also accused Pakistan of conducting coordinated misinformation campaigns during periods of heightened tensions. According to Indian authorities, thousands of social media posts and online links carrying false information emerged from Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, including claims regarding military operations and attacks on civilian infrastructure. India has maintained that such actions violate the Simla Agreement's commitment to discourage propaganda and promote peaceful relations between the two nations.

More than five decades after the agreement was signed, the Simla Agreement continues to shape discussions on India-Pakistan relations. India maintains that meaningful cooperation, including dialogue and bilateral agreements, depends on adherence to the commitments outlined in the pact and an end to cross-border terrorism. While differing interpretations of the agreement persist, the broader debate has increasingly focused on whether both sides have upheld the obligations necessary to sustain the framework envisioned in 1972.

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