India Holds Back the Waters: Pakistan Urges Revival of Indus Treaty

Just days after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in response to a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Pakistan has reportedly appealed to New Delhi to reconsider its decision. According to media reports, Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources has sent an official letter to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, requesting the resumption of water flow under the decades-old treaty.

The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 with World Bank mediation, is a critical water-sharing agreement that has stood as a rare example of cooperation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. It allocates the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — to Pakistan, while India retains control of the eastern rivers — Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi.

India’s decision to suspend the treaty came in the wake of a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that left 26 civilians dead, most of them tourists. Following the assault, India invoked national security concerns and declared the treaty would remain in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ends its support for terrorism.

The suspension was formally approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), India’s top body for strategic and defense decisions, making it the first time New Delhi has taken such action since the agreement was signed.

In its letter, Pakistan warned India that halting the flow of water would trigger a major internal crisis. However, Indian officials remain unmoved. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first public statement following Operation Sindoor — a swift military operation launched after the Pahalgam attack — sent a strong message: “Water and blood cannot flow together. Terror and talks cannot happen at the same time. Terror and trade cannot happen simultaneously.”

India has now announced a comprehensive three-tier strategy to block the Indus waters from entering Pakistani territory, covering short-term, mid-term, and long-term measures. Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil declared, “We are taking steps to ensure not a single drop of India’s water is wasted or flows into Pakistan unutilised.”

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal echoed this stance, stating, “The Indus Waters Treaty was built on goodwill and friendship. Pakistan has undermined those very values through its relentless support for cross-border terrorism.”

India’s tough stand has reshaped the regional narrative. While the Pahalgam attack briefly led to a ceasefire through Operation Sindoor, New Delhi has made it clear that future talks with Islamabad will be limited to two key issues: ending terrorism and reclaiming Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

With nearly 70% of the Indus river system waters allocated to Pakistan under the treaty, the suspension marks a significant geopolitical and environmental turning point. As per the agreement, India was entitled to use just 30% of the system, despite the rivers flowing from its own territory.

To capitalize on this new stance, the Modi government is expected to expedite pending hydroelectric projects and develop additional infrastructure to retain and utilize the waters within India. A key meeting is scheduled this week involving Home Minister Amit Shah, Water Resources Minister Paatil, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and senior officials from related ministries. Two strategic meetings have already been held since the suspension decision.

As the Indo-Pakistan standoff intensifies, water — once a symbol of rare cooperation — is now at the heart of a deepening rift.

Team Maverick.