Simla Agreement
| Agreement on Bilateral Relations Between The Government of India and The Government of Pakistan | |
|---|---|
| Type | Peace treaty |
| Context | Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 |
| Drafted | 28 June 1972 |
| Signed | 2 July 1972 |
| Location | Barnes Court (Raj Bhavan), Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India |
| Sealed | 7 August 1972 |
| Ratified | 15 July 1972 (by Pakistan) 3 August 1972 (by India) |
| Effective | 4 August 1972 |
| Condition | Ratification by both parties |
| Negotiators | |
| Signatories | |
| Parties | |
| Ratifiers | |
| Languages | |
The Simla Agreement, also spelled Shimla Agreement, was a peace treaty signed between India and Pakistan on 2 July 1972 in Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It followed the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, which began after India intervened in East Pakistan as an ally of Mukti Bahini who were fighting against Pakistani state forces in the Bangladesh Liberation War.
The treaty's official purpose was stated to serve as a way for both countries to "put an end to the conflict and confrontation that have hitherto marred their relations" and to conceive the steps to be taken for further normalization of India–Pakistan relations while also laying down the principles that should govern their future interactions.
The treaty gave back more than 13,000 km2 of land that the Indian Army had seized in Pakistan during the war, though India retained a few strategic areas, including Turtuk, Dhothang, Tyakshi (earlier called Tiaqsi) and Chalunka of Chorbat Valley, which was more than 883 km2.
On April 23 2025, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, alleging Pakistan's involvement in 2025 Pahalgam attack. Pakistan, in-turn, suspended the Simla Agreement on 24 April 2025 and suspended trade with India closing land and air routes. In June 2025, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif reportedly declared the agreement a "dead document". He stated that whether the Indus Waters Treaty was suspended or not, the Simla Agreement was already over.