New Delhi: Following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 people lost their lives, India has taken a firm step by deciding to suspend the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. This decision was confirmed by Water Resources Minister CR Patil, who said that the implementation of the suspension will be carried out in three phases – immediate, mid-term, and long-term.
Patil said that arrangements are being made to ensure not even a single drop of water flows to Pakistan. This marks a major policy shift in the decades-old water-sharing agreement between the two countries.
Key meeting at Amit Shah’s Residence
After announcing the suspension, a high-level meeting was held at the residence of Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday. The meeting focused on how to manage and use water resources more effectively now that the treaty has been suspended. It was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, and senior secretaries from all three concerned ministries — home, external affairs, and water resources.
Dams to be upgraded, water to be stored
Sources said that one of the first actions will be to stop the flow of water to Pakistan. This will be followed by steps to increase the water storage capacity in Indian dams. To make this possible, modern technology will be used for desilting and flushing of dams, so that more water can be stored within India for agricultural and domestic use.
The government also plans to strengthen existing dams and build infrastructure to better manage India’s own water needs, especially in border states like Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir.
World Bank to be informed
The World Bank, which played a key role in facilitating the original Indus Water Treaty in 1960, will be formally informed of India’s decision. Sources said the implementation of the suspension will begin immediately, and steps are already underway to act on the government’s decision taken during the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India’s official communication to Pakistan
India has already sent a formal letter to Pakistan, informing them of the treaty’s suspension. The letter was written by India’s Water Resources Secretary Debashree Mukherjee to her Pakistani counterpart Syed Ali Murtaza. It states that Pakistan has violated the spirit of the treaty by continuing to promote cross-border terrorism, especially targeting Jammu and Kashmir.
“Respect for any treaty in good faith is a fundamental basis of the treaty. However, instead we have seen the continued perpetuation of cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter said.
Tensions high after Pahalgam attack
The decision to suspend the treaty comes just days after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Most of the victims were tourists, and it has been called the deadliest attack in the region since Pulwama in 2019.
Indian government has since taken several strong measures, including downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan, shutting down the Attari border checkpost, and withdrawing visas of Pakistani nationals in India.
