India, in a firm and unequivocal statement at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), accused Pakistan of spreading disinformation regarding the Indus Water Treaty and reiterated its commitment to responsible water management despite ongoing cross-border terrorism.
Delivering the statement at the Arria Formula Meeting on “Protecting Water in Armed Conflict – Protecting Civilian Lives,” India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Parvathaneni Harish, strongly refuted Pakistan’s claims about the treaty. He highlighted Pakistan’s violation of the treaty’s spirit through its support for cross-border terrorism and its obstructionist stance on modifying the treaty.
Harish affirmed that India has always acted responsibly as the upper riparian state and accused Pakistan of distorting facts. “India entered into the Indus Water Treaty 65 years ago in good faith,” he said, emphasizing that the agreement was signed in a spirit of goodwill and friendship.
He pointed out Pakistan’s violations of the treaty’s spirit by engaging in three wars and thousands of terror attacks against India, which have claimed over 20,000 Indian lives in the last four decades. He referenced the recent terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam as a “dastardly targeted terror attack.”
“Pakistan has violated the spirit of the treaty by inflicting three wars and thousands of terror attacks on India. In the last four decades, more than 20,000 Indian lives have been lost in terror attacks,” Harish said. He stressed that Pakistan’s state-sponsored terrorism threatens civilian lives, religious harmony, and economic prosperity.
Harish further noted that significant changes have occurred over the past 65 years, including escalating security concerns, increased demand for clean energy, climate change, and demographic shifts. He highlighted technological advancements in dam infrastructure aimed at ensuring safety and efficiency, while some older dams face serious safety concerns.
He cited the 2012 terrorist attack on the Tulbul Navigation Project in Jammu and Kashmir as evidence of ongoing threats to India’s water infrastructure and civilian safety.
India has formally requested Pakistan to discuss modifications to the treaty on several occasions over the past two years. However, Pakistan has consistently blocked any changes, including permissible modifications under the treaty.
“Against this backdrop, India has finally announced that the treaty will be in abeyance until Pakistan – a global epicenter of terror – credibly and irrevocably ends its support for cross-border terrorism,” Harish stated.
He concluded, “It is clear that it is Pakistan which remains in violation of the Indus Water Treaty.”
India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in April 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, which it attributed to Pakistan-based terrorists.
(ANI)
About The Author
