India has strongly asserted at the United Nations that lasting cooperation requires trust, not terror, in response to Pakistan's raising of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). This firm stance comes after India's decision to hold the IWT in abeyance following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April that resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. India has made it clear that the treaty will remain suspended until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably ends its support for cross-border terrorism.

Speaking at the UN, Indian representatives have consistently emphasized that Pakistan's state-sponsored cross-border terrorism seeks to hold hostage the lives of civilians, religious harmony, and economic prosperity in India. India's representative to the UN, P Harish, stated that Pakistan has violated the spirit of the treaty by inflicting three wars and thousands of terror attacks on India. He highlighted that in the last four decades, more than 20,000 Indian lives have been lost in terror attacks originating from Pakistan.

India has accused Pakistan of politicizing the IWT and undermining the trust required for its implementation through its continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. Indian diplomat Anamika Singh expressed deep concern over Pakistan's persistent and deliberate attempts to politicize the proceedings, stating that such actions undermine the integrity of the forum and deflect attention from more pressing global issues. She emphasized that lasting cooperation is rooted in trust and not terror and urged the council not to allow itself to be misused.

India has also highlighted that the world of 1960, when the IWT was signed, is not the world of today. The escalating impact of climate change, advancements in technology, and the growing imperative for sustainable clean energy necessitate a serious re-evaluation of the treaty's relevance and applicability in today's context. India has pointed out that Pakistan itself violates the treaty while blaming India for breaches.

In response to India's decision to hold the IWT in abeyance, Pakistan has been raising the issue repeatedly on international platforms, accusing India of weaponizing water resources. However, India has countered these claims, stating that it is preventing water and terror from flowing together. India has also shared hydrological data with Pakistan through diplomatic channels as a humanitarian gesture.

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced that the water saved due to the suspension of the IWT with Pakistan would be made available to Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan within the next one to one and a half years. The water of the western rivers – the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab – which was largely allocated to Pakistan, has now been stopped and is available to be used by India.

The IWT, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, allocates the waters of the eastern rivers (the Ravi, Beas, and the Sutlej) to India and the western rivers (the Indus, Jhelum, and the Chenab) to Pakistan, while allowing both sides limited usage of each other's share. India has always maintained that it has acted in a responsible manner as an upper riparian state.