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Amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s swift military retaliation under Operation Sindoor, Pakistan formally approached New Delhi seeking the revival of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). This decades-old water-sharing pact was put in abeyance by India in response to cross-border terrorism last month.
In a letter sent a few days ago addressed to the Ministry of External Affairs, Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources has urged India to restore the river flows allocated to it under the 1960 treaty, warning of severe domestic consequences if the suspension continues.
This marks Islamabad’s first explicit attempt to reopen dialogue on the IWT since the April 22 terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead. India announced the treaty’s suspension two days later, with the decision endorsed by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). Prime Minister Narendra Modi had then asserted a hardened stance: “Water and blood cannot flow together. Terror and talks cannot happen at the same time.”
India maintains that Pakistan has violated both the letter and spirit of the treaty through its continued support for cross-border terrorism, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. Citing Pakistan’s past refusal to engage in treaty-sanctioned negotiations, Indian officials insist that any resumption of obligations hinges on a “credible and irreversible” commitment by Islamabad to dismantle its terror infrastructure.
Sources confirm that Pakistan’s Water Resources Secretary, Syed Ali Murtaza, has responded to India’s notification, questioning the legal basis for the suspension and pointing out that the treaty contains no formal exit clause. Yet, in a shift from its earlier posture, Islamabad has indicated readiness to discuss New Delhi’s concerns and revisit treaty provisions.
The development comes as India aggressively pursues a three-pronged strategy—short, medium, and long-term—to optimize its utilization of the Indus basin waters. Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil recently reaffirmed the government’s intent to ensure that “not a single drop of water flows unutilized into Pakistan.”
In response to Islamabad’s outreach, the Indian government is expected to convene a high-level meeting in the coming days. The session—likely chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah—will include Water Resources Minister Patil, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and senior officials across key ministries. It will be the third such strategic review since India suspended the treaty.
Diplomatic observers suggest Pakistan’s renewed interest may be driven by concerns over India’s accelerated push to complete stalled hydroelectric projects on the western rivers—projects considered vital to Pakistan’s agrarian economy. New Delhi, however, remains cautious.
At a media briefing on Tuesday, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed India’s position: “The treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably ends its support for cross-border terrorism.” He added that the evolving geopolitical and environmental landscape—marked by climate change, technological shifts, and population pressures—requires a re-evaluation of the treaty’s relevance and mechanisms.
India is also expected to push for reforms in the IWT’s dispute resolution process. This process has led to conflicting interpretations in past cases, such as those involving the Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects, both located in Jammu and Kashmir. These projects have sparked disputes with Pakistan over alleged violations of the treaty. PPakistan’sprimary concern is that these projects, especially Kishanganga, will reduce the water flow to its territory, as it relies heavily on these rivers.
About the Treaty
Signed in 1960 with World Bank mediation, the Indus Waters Treaty remains one of the few sustained bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan. Under its terms, India was granted control over the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej), while Pakistan received rights to the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab), accounting for about 70% of the basin’s total water volume.
While hostilities have paused following a four-day confrontation under Operation Sindoor, Indian officials have clarified that those coercive diplomatic measures—particularly the suspension of the IWT—will remain in force until Islamabad takes verifiable steps to dismantle its terror infrastructure.
In the days ahead, the future of the Indus Waters Treaty—and the possibility of its revival—will likely hinge on national security imperatives and India’s insistence on strictly bilateral talks, with no role for third-party mediation, including the World Bank.
Team BharatShakti
