Why India Dismantled Security Perimeter Outside Pakistan High Commission in Delhi

New Delhi authorities carried out an operation on Wednesday to remove unauthorised structures and encroachments outside the Pakistan High Commission in the city's diplomatic enclave, an action widely seen as a reciprocal response to Pakistan's removal of security barricades outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad earlier this week. A JCB machine was deployed to clear the structures, which were located near the visa section of the Pakistani mission at Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, and stood outside the compound's officially designated perimeter.

What Happened In Delhi

Indian authorities dismantled the external security perimeter outside the Pakistan High Commission, removing traffic bollards and barricades that previously ring-fenced the diplomatic compound. Officials said the structures and queue liners near the Pakistan High Commission's visa section were positioned in a lane outside the mission's marked boundary. These were removed by the concerned civic and enforcement authorities, according to people familiar with the matter. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Warns India of Direct Response Over Indus Waters Treaty (Video).

Delhi Removes Encroachments Outside Pakistan High Commission In Apparent Tit-for-Tat Move

The action comes three days after Pakistani authorities dismantled parking poles and security barricades outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, a move that had drawn a formal protest from the Indian mission at the time. India-Pakistan War: China Confirms It Provided Technical Support to Pakistan During Last Year's Conflict.

A Pattern Of Reciprocal Actions

The development is being viewed as part of a broader pattern of tit-for-tat measures between the two countries amid continued strain in bilateral ties. Similar reciprocal actions have marked earlier phases of tension, including staff reductions at each other's missions, tighter access controls, and administrative restrictions on diplomatic personnel.

Formal diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Islamabad has remained largely frozen for some time. Bilateral trade continues to be suspended, the main land border crossing remains closed, and visa arrangements are sharply restricted. Both high commissions are currently functioning with reduced staff strength.

Background On India-Pakistan Ties

India has also kept the Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, in abeyance. New Delhi has maintained that the treaty will stay suspended until Pakistan takes credible and irreversible steps to end its support for cross-border terrorism.

The Indian government has repeatedly stated that normal, neighbourly relations with Pakistan can only resume in an environment free of terrorism, reflecting the current standoff that continues to shape interactions between the two missions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2026 07:15 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).