“The Indus Waters Treaty stands in abeyance in response to Pakistan’s sponsorship of cross-border terrorism.” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry, said that at his weekly briefing, and he made clear the pact stays frozen for now.
The 1960 water-sharing treaty has been on hold since the April 2025 terror attack at Pahalgam, which killed 26 people. According to Jaiswal, India will not bring it back until Pakistan ends its support for cross-border terrorism in a way that is credible and cannot be undone. He tied the continued suspension to Operation Sindoor, the military action India launched in May 2025 against what it described as terrorist infrastructure.
He also brushed aside recent criticism from Islamabad over Indian hydroelectric projects on the Chenab and Beas rivers.
Where it shows on the ground
The clearest sign is at the Baglihar Dam in Ramban district, Jammu and Kashmir. More than a year after the suspension, its gates are still shut. The Economic Times linked that to a wider change in how India manages its water and hydropower in the region.
How the suspension began
India announced the move on a Wednesday, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. At least 26 people died. Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short a trip to Saudi Arabia, then chaired an emergency Cabinet Security Committee meeting in New Delhi, where the decisions were taken.
The treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, divides six rivers between the two rivals. India receives the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi. Pakistan gets the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. Pakistan has accused India of “continuously violating” the agreement by building dams on the western rivers, while India holds that the treaty leaves Islamabad with more water than New Delhi.
No side had suspended the treaty unilaterally before. Some experts said at the time that doing so would sharpen tensions over the issue and give New Delhi an edge in regulating the flow.
The same package of measures declared Pakistan’s defense, naval and air advisors at its High Commission in New Delhi persona non grata, with one week to leave. India also closed the border crossing at Wagah and said it would restrict visas for Pakistani citizens under the SAARC framework. Pakistan’s government called a National Security Committee meeting, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to decide its answer.
Asked about the Turkish Foreign Minister’s comments, Jaiswal said India’s foreign engagements follow its own interests. “All our international engagements have their own standing and importance,” he said.
Sources
- India reaffirms 'abeyance' of Indus Waters Treaty amid sustained regional tensions
- India suspends water-sharing pact with Pakistan amid tensions over Kashmir
