HM Shah Reviews Strategy to Halt Water Supply to Pakistan After Treaty Suspension

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting on Friday with Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil and senior government officials to strategise the implementation of India’s decision to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. The decision follows the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that claimed 26 lives, most of whom were tourists.

In the meeting, the ministers discussed both long-term and short-term strategies to halt the flow of water to Pakistan and reviewed actionable steps to enforce the suspension. It was decided that the supply would be put on hold with immediate effect.

India Notifies Pakistan

India has formally informed Pakistan of its decision. In a letter addressed to her Pakistani counterpart Syed Ali Murtaza, India’s Water Resources Secretary Debashree Mukherjee cited sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan as a key reason behind the move. The letter underscored that such acts violate the fundamental principles of the treaty.

“The obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental to a treaty. However, what we have seen instead is sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter stated.

The letter also highlighted that the heinous Pahalgam attack, in which 26 civilians were brutally killed after being identified by their faith, has further impeded India’s ability to fully exercise its treaty rights.

Broader Justifications for Suspension

The Indian government cited several evolving circumstances necessitating a re-evaluation of the treaty, including altered population demographics, the need to expedite clean energy development, and persistent security threats. A formal notification to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty has now been issued.

Brokered by the World Bank, the Indus Waters Treaty has governed the use and distribution of the Indus river system between India and Pakistan since 1960. The river system includes the Indus and its tributaries—Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Jhelum, and Chenab. While the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—are primarily allocated to India, the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab—are meant for Pakistani use.

Strategic Implications

At the time of Partition, the division of the Indus basin left India as the upper riparian and Pakistan as the lower riparian state. The suspension of this treaty represents a major diplomatic escalation and could significantly affect water availability in Pakistan.

The government’s decision is a stern message against terrorism and a move to assert India’s rights as the upper riparian nation.