India has reaffirmed that its position on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains unchanged, insisting the decades-old water-sharing agreement will remain in abeyance until Pakistan takes credible and irreversible action against cross-border terrorism.
Responding to recent statements from Pakistani leaders, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s decision to suspend implementation of the treaty was a direct response to Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism.
“India’s position on the Indus Waters Treaty is consistent. The treaty stands in abeyance in response to Pakistan’s continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. Pakistan must credibly and irrevocably abjure its support for cross-border terrorism,” Jaiswal said during a media briefing on Friday.
India suspended the implementation of the treaty following the April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 tourists were killed. Since then, Pakistan has repeatedly argued on international platforms that India’s decision undermines global norms governing transboundary river agreements.
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar reiterated that Islamabad considers the 1960 treaty to remain “valid, binding and operative,” despite India’s suspension.
The issue escalated further after former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari suggested Pakistan should consider a “nuclear option” if diplomatic efforts to restore the treaty fail. The remarks have drawn criticism from strategic analysts, who described the comments as irresponsible and inflammatory.
India has previously maintained that while the treaty remains suspended, it is no longer obligated to fulfil its commitments under the agreement. The government has also rejected the authority of international arbitration mechanisms examining the dispute, arguing that no tribunal has jurisdiction over India’s sovereign decisions while the treaty is in abeyance.
Brokered by the World Bank, the Indus Waters Treaty was signed by India and Pakistan in 1960 after nearly a decade of negotiations. It governs the allocation and management of the Indus River system shared by the two countries and has long been regarded as one of the world’s most durable water-sharing agreements despite repeated conflicts between the neighbours.
Separately, the Ministry of External Affairs welcomed a recent joint statement issued by India and Japan condemning cross-border terrorism originating from Pakistan. The statement followed bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and called for stronger international efforts to dismantle terrorist safe havens and financing networks.
During the same briefing, India also condemned Pakistan’s recent military strikes inside Afghanistan, expressing condolences over civilian casualties, including women and children. The India’s MEA reiterated India’s support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while emphasizing its ongoing humanitarian assistance to the country.
