External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday reaffirmed that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) will remain suspended until Pakistan ends its support for cross-border terrorism in a manner that is both credible and irreversible.
Speaking to the media, Jaishankar stated, “The Indus Waters Treaty is held in abeyance and will continue to be held in abeyance until the cross-border terrorism by Pakistan is credibly and irrevocably stopped... The only thing which remains to be discussed on Kashmir is the vacating of illegally occupied Indian territory in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir; we are open to that discussion.”
Jaishankar’s comments came just two days after India clarified that its ceasefire agreement with Pakistan does not affect other diplomatic or strategic decisions, including the suspension of the IWT. Earlier on Thursday, media reported that Pakistan had recently urged India to reconsider its decision to keep the treaty in abeyance, citing the dependence of millions of people on the shared river waters.
Quoting a senior official, the report said, “The treaty was negotiated in a spirit of goodwill and good neighbourliness. That is why we persisted with it despite the fact that it was flawed and loaded against India. However, Pakistan's refusal to rein in the terrorists has knocked the very premise underpinning the treaty.”
The communication from Pakistan reportedly came shortly after both nations reached a ceasefire understanding following a four-day military standoff.
Why India Suspended the Indus Waters Treaty
The decision to suspend the IWT was part of a broader retaliatory response following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead, most of them tourists.
On April 23, India announced a series of strong measures against Pakistan, which included:
- Suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.
- Closure of the Integrated Check Post at the Attari border.
- Reduction in staff strength at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi.
The IWT, signed in 1960 with the mediation of the World Bank, governs the use and management of the Indus River system, including the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers. The treaty also mandates data-sharing and cooperative water management between the two countries.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation for the first time since Operation Sindoor, and referenced the treaty's suspension, declaring that “water and blood can never flow together.”
During a subsequent press briefing, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated the government's stance, saying that India would continue to keep the IWT in abeyance until Pakistan ceases support for cross-border terrorism in a credible and irreversible manner.
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