On Saturday, Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah stated in an interview that India will “never restore” the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. Instead, India plans to divert the water resources that originally flowed into Pakistan towards domestic use.
The treaty, signed in 1960 with the mediation of the World Bank, regulates the use of the Indus River system by India and Pakistan, ensuring Pakistan’s access to water from three major rivers originating in India, which accounts for 80% of its agricultural irrigation.
However, last month, a deadly attack in India-administered Kashmir resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly Indian Hindu tourists. India accused Pakistan of orchestrating this “terror” attack, which Pakistan denied. Consequently, India suspended the implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty. Despite recent ceasefire agreements between India and Pakistan ending one of the most severe periods of conflict in decades, the agreement concerning the Indus River water resources remains suspended.
In the interview with the “Times of India” on Saturday, Shah was asked if the treaty could be restored, to which he firmly responded, “No, never.”
He further stated, “We will divert the water that was originally meant for Pakistan to Rajasthan by constructing canals. Pakistan has been illegitimately benefiting from these water resources for years and will lose access to them in the future.”
Analysts from Reuters noted that Shah, as one of the most influential ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, his statements are seen as crucial in shaping India’s policy direction. This declaration is a significant setback for Pakistan’s recent hopes to reopen negotiations.
Reuters reported last month that India is planning a significant increase in water withdrawal from the Indus River. The river downstream irrigates vast tracts of agricultural land in Pakistan and this move is viewed as part of India’s retaliatory measures.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to this latest statement. However, they have previously stated that the treaty does not have provisions for unilateral withdrawal. If India obstructs the water intended for Pakistan, it would be considered as “an act of war.”
Pakistan is considering legal challenges against India for unilaterally setting aside the treaty within the framework of international law.
The Indus River is one of the most vital transboundary rivers in South Asia, stretching approximately 3,180 kilometers from its origin in Tibet, China, through the northern Indian region of Jammu and Kashmir, before finally flowing into the Arabian Sea in southern Pakistan. It is crucial for Pakistan’s agricultural and food security, as it irrigates over 80% of the country’s arable land.
In 1960, India and Pakistan, with the mediation of the World Bank, signed the Indus Waters Treaty, granting India rights to the eastern tributaries (Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi Rivers) and ensuring Pakistan near-exclusive use of the western main rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab Rivers).
The treaty has been hailed as a rare success in water diplomacy during the Cold War era, maintaining operation for over 60 years despite several periods of war and border conflicts between the two countries.
However, in recent years, with India accusing Pakistan of sponsoring cross-border attacks and rising nationalist sentiments on both sides, the treaty has been repeatedly questioned by India for being “too lenient towards Pakistan,” especially after the deteriorating security situation in the Kashmir region. This has led to increased calls for using water resources as political and strategic leverage in the region.