Authorities in New Delhi have cleared unauthorised structures and encroachments outside the Pakistan High Commission, days after Pakistani authorities removed parking poles outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. The latest action is being seen as a reciprocal step amid the strained ties between India and Pakistan. The structures cleared in Delhi were located near the visa section of the Pakistan mission. They stood outside the designated perimeter of the compound and were removed by the concerned agencies, according to reports.

The action follows the dismantling of parking poles outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad by Pakistani authorities. Such reciprocal measures have been common during periods of tension between the two countries. India and Pakistan have previously taken similar steps involving staff reductions, tighter access controls and administrative restrictions. India has also matched such measures whenever Pakistan has taken action against its diplomatic mission.

The latest development comes at a time when bilateral relations remain severely strained. India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism. Ties between the two countries have remained at one of their lowest points in decades. The situation has continued for more than a year after a four-day military confrontation between the two sides, which followed the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam.

In April 2025, Pakistan-trained terrorists killed 26 people in Pahalgam in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. India responded with “Operation Sindoor”, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The military confrontation was the most serious between the two countries since the 1999 Kargil War. The conflict lasted for four days and ended after Pakistan reached out to India for a ceasefire.

Formal diplomatic engagement between the two countries has largely remained frozen since then. Trade between India and Pakistan remains suspended. The main land border crossing is also closed. Both sides have sharply restricted their visa regimes. The high commissions in New Delhi and Islamabad continue to function with reduced staff.

India has also placed the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. New Delhi has said the decision will remain in place until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ends its support for cross-border terrorism. India maintains that normal relations with Pakistan can resume only when the relationship is free from violence and terrorism.

Despite the diplomatic freeze, military communication between the two sides has not completely stopped. Weekly telephone conversations between the Directors General of Military Operations continue. The ceasefire between India and Pakistan has largely held, with only limited violations being reported.

The physical structure of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi remained intact during the action. Its main entrance, marked by white walls, domed features and large metal gates carrying the Pakistani emblem, was not affected. Barbed-wire fencing could also be seen along parts of the compound’s perimeter.

The latest development also comes amid a fresh diplomatic disagreement involving Pakistan and the United States over comments on Jammu and Kashmir. On Wednesday, Pakistan raised the issue with Washington after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor made remarks about Kashmir during a visit to Srinagar. Gor described Jammu and Kashmir as “an important part of India” and also praised the security situation in the Valley.

Pakistan reacted strongly to the remarks and summoned US Chargé d'Affaires Natalie Baker in Islamabad to lodge a protest. The move reflected Islamabad’s objection to the US ambassador’s comments on Kashmir. There has been no official confirmation so far that the action against the unauthorised structures outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi was connected to Pakistan’s reaction to Gor’s remarks.

The latest action in New Delhi is a broader pattern of reciprocal measures between India and Pakistan. With diplomatic ties still restricted, even administrative actions involving the two countries’ diplomatic missions can carry wider significance. The removal of the unauthorised structures outside the Pakistan High Commission follows the recent action in Islamabad and adds to the continuing series of reciprocal steps between the two sides.