New Delhi– In the aftermath of India’s military response to the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Pakistan has reportedly reached out to New Delhi, pleading for a reconsideration of the decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
According to media reports, Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources has sent a formal communication to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, urging the resumption of river flows into its territory under the 1960 World Bank-brokered water-sharing agreement.
The treaty, which has governed the distribution of the Indus River system for over six decades, was put into abeyance by India following the Pahalgam attack, which left 26 civilians — mostly tourists — dead. India held Pakistan-based terrorist groups responsible and cited national security as justification for suspending the treaty.
For the first time since the treaty’s inception, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), India’s top decision-making body on strategic matters, approved the suspension — signaling a major shift in policy.
In its letter, Pakistan warned that halting the water flow could trigger a humanitarian and agricultural crisis in the country. But Indian officials have dismissed the concerns, underscoring Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first address following Operation Sindoor, strongly defended the decision. “Water and blood cannot flow together,” he declared. “Terror and talks cannot happen at the same time. Terror and trade cannot happen simultaneously.”
The Indus Waters Treaty allocates the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — to India and the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — to Pakistan. Under the treaty, Pakistan receives approximately 70 percent of the total water from the system.
India has now announced a comprehensive strategy — short-term, mid-term, and long-term — aimed at fully utilizing its share of Indus waters. Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil affirmed that India will ensure “not a single drop of water” flows out unused.
“The Indus Waters Treaty was built on the foundation of goodwill and mutual trust,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. “Pakistan has trampled on those values by continuing to shelter and support terrorism.”
India’s aggressive stance follows the success of Operation Sindoor, a swift military campaign targeting terrorist infrastructure across the border. Though a temporary ceasefire understanding followed, New Delhi has since clarified that future talks with Islamabad will focus solely on terrorism and the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
With the treaty suspended, the Indian government is expected to expedite stalled hydroelectric projects. A high-level meeting is anticipated this week, involving Home Minister Amit Shah, Jal Shakti Minister Paatil, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and senior officials from key ministries.
This will be the third such meeting since the suspension of the treaty, underscoring the Modi government’s commitment to recalibrating its Pakistan policy through both diplomatic and infrastructural means. (Source: IANS)
