India's Home Minister Declares Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan Unrecoverable

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has declared that India will not reinstate the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, emphasizing the country's right to its water resources. Following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, India suspended the treaty, stating it would remain so until Pakistan ceases its support for cross-border terrorism. Shah's comments highlight India's intention to redirect water resources and the implications of the treaty's suspension on water management between the two nations. Experts have weighed in on the complexities surrounding the treaty and its impact on India-Pakistan relations.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 22, 2025, 10:23 IST

India's Stance on the Indus Waters Treaty

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated on Saturday that India will not reinstate the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. In an interview, he emphasized that India intends to utilize its rightful water resources, asserting that Pakistan will face a shortage of water that it has been receiving unjustly.

Shah mentioned that India plans to redirect water that has been flowing to Pakistan from Rajasthan by constructing a canal. This decision follows India's suspension of the 1960 treaty, which occurred shortly after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that resulted in 26 fatalities. India declared that the treaty would remain suspended until Pakistan ceases its support for cross-border terrorism.

In his remarks, Shah noted, “While international treaties cannot be annulled unilaterally, we have the right to suspend it, which we have exercised. The treaty was intended for the peace and progress of both nations, but that purpose has been compromised, leaving nothing to safeguard.”

The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 with the World Bank as a third party, aimed to equitably distribute the waters of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan. According to the agreement, India was allocated water from the eastern rivers—Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej—while Pakistan received water from the western rivers—Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum.

The treaty also permitted both nations to utilize each other's rivers for specific purposes, such as small hydroelectric projects that require minimal water storage. Experts have indicated that the treaty's suspension means India is no longer obligated to Pakistan regarding the use or regulation of the Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers.

Following the Pahalgam attack, Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil claimed that the Indian government would ensure that “not a drop of water” would flow to Pakistan. However, experts have challenged the notion that India can instantly halt the water flow into Pakistan.