India has strongly asserted that Pakistan's relentless cross-border terrorism has led to the violation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), holding the treaty in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irreversibly ceases its support for terrorism. This firm stance was reiterated at various international forums, including the United Nations and the International Conference on Glaciers' Preservation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
The suspension of the IWT, a 65-year-old water-sharing agreement, followed a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. India has maintained that Pakistan's actions have undermined the treaty's foundational principles of goodwill and friendship, making it impossible to continue adhering to its terms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized that "blood and water cannot flow together," underscoring India's position that cross-border terrorism and the water treaty cannot coexist.
At the UN, India's representative, P. Harish, accused Pakistan of violating the spirit of the IWT by inflicting three wars and thousands of terror attacks on India since the treaty came into effect in 1960. He highlighted that over 20,000 Indian lives have been lost in terror attacks in the last four decades, with the recent Pahalgam attack being a stark reminder of Pakistan's continued support for terrorism. India has also expressed concerns that Pakistan's state-sponsored cross-border terrorism seeks to hold hostage the lives of civilians, religious harmony, and economic prosperity in India.
India has also pointed out that the IWT, which was based on the engineering techniques of the 1950s, needs to be modernized to address contemporary challenges such as climate change, glacier melt, water variability, and the need for clean energy. India has repeatedly asked Pakistan to renegotiate aspects of the treaty to reflect these realities, but Islamabad has refused to engage in discussions.
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, divides the Indus River system's waters between India and Pakistan. Under the treaty, Pakistan has exclusive rights to the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab), while India has exclusive rights to the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej). However, India considers this division misleading, as the western rivers account for approximately 80.5% of the basin's total annual water volume.
Following the suspension of the IWT, India has reportedly intensified dam flushing operations, leading to fluctuating water flows into Pakistan. Satellite images and water inflow data indicate a clear pattern of filling reservoirs to capacity and then force-flushing silt to clear them out. This practice not only clears sediment but also boosts hydroelectric power generation.
Pakistan has reacted strongly to India's suspension of the IWT, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accusing India of endangering millions of lives for narrow political gains. Pakistan has also threatened to take India to international court, arguing that the treaty cannot be unilaterally terminated. However, India has made it clear that dialogue with Pakistan will not resume until Islamabad takes concrete and effective action against terrorism.
India's decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance reflects its growing frustration with Pakistan's continued support for cross-border terrorism and its unwillingness to address the treaty's outdated provisions. While the future of the IWT remains uncertain, India has signaled that it will not compromise on its national security concerns and will continue to take all necessary measures to protect its interests.
