India Maintains Tough Stance On Indus Treaty Amid Pakistan Objections

NEW DELHI- Rejecting Pakistan’s criticism of two river projects, India on June 5 reiterated that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains in abeyance until Pakistan completely stops supporting cross-border terrorism.

The response from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came after Pakistan alleged that India was seeking to “weaponize water” by advancing the Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel Project and plans to flush silt from the Salal Dam reservoir.

“We have suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and kept it in abeyance until Pakistan completely stops cross-border terrorism,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi.

India also reiterated its rejection of rulings issued by what it describes as an “illegally constituted” Court of Arbitration (CoA) under the Indus Waters Treaty framework.

“India categorically rejects the present so-called award, just as it has firmly rejected all prior pronouncements of the illegally constituted CoA. India has never recognized the establishment of this so-called CoA. Any proceeding, award, or decision issued by it is null and void. India’s decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance remains in force,” Jaiswal said, referring to a recent award issued by the tribunal.

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan on September 19, 1960, governing the use of waters from the Indus river system.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025, India exercised what it described as its rights as a sovereign nation under international law and placed the treaty in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ends its support for cross-border terrorism. (IANS)