India has declared it will never restore the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and plans to divert water previously flowing to its neighbor for domestic use, Home Minister Amit Shah stated in an interview with The Times of India on Saturday.
The 1960 treaty, which regulates the shared Indus river system, was suspended by India following what it described as a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. The agreement had ensured Pakistan access to waters from three Indian-origin rivers that irrigate 80% of its farmland.
“No, it will never be restored,” Shah categorically stated, adding, “We will channel the water currently flowing to Pakistan to Rajasthan through a new canal. Pakistan has been receiving this water unjustifiably.”
The hardline stance from Shah — considered the second-most powerful figure in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government — dashes Islamabad’s hopes for near-term negotiations. The announcement comes despite a ceasefire agreement last month that halted the worst cross-border fighting in decades between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
Last month, it was reported that India’s plans to significantly increase water diversion from rivers feeding Pakistani agriculture as part of retaliatory measures. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has not responded to the latest remarks but previously warned that unilateral treaty violations would constitute “an act of war,” noting the pact contains no exit clause.
Islamabad is reportedly preparing to challenge India’s suspension of the treaty under international law. The development marks a new low in bilateral relations, with life-giving river waters becoming the latest flashpoint in the decades-old conflict.
The World Bank-mediated Indus Waters Treaty has survived three wars between India and Pakistan since 1960. Under its terms, Pakistan controls the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) while India manages the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej), with limited usage rights for both nations.