India has criticised Pakistan at the United Nations Human Rights Council for politicising the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, which New Delhi suspended following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Indian officials said state-sponsored terrorism undermined trust and rendered lasting cooperation impossible.
Addressing the council in Geneva, diplomat Anupama Singh stressed that the treaty, signed in 1960 in a spirit of goodwill and friendship, could not be viewed in the same light today. “The world of 1960 is not the world of today,” Singh said, highlighting the challenges posed by persistent cross-border terrorism.
“We are compelled to express our deep concern over the persistent and deliberate attempt by a particular delegation to politicise the proceedings of the council,” Singh added. “Such actions not only undermine the integrity of this platform but also seek to deflect attention from other core issues.”
Reiterating New Delhi’s position that terror and dialogue cannot coexist, Singh said Pakistan’s actions eroded the environment necessary to honour treaty obligations.
“The grim reality of relentless state-sponsored terrorism emanating from Pakistan undermines the environment of honouring treaty obligations,” she said, urging the council not to allow its platform to be used for diversion or distortion.
Singh further noted that the impact of climate change, technological advancements, and the growing need for sustainable energy required a reassessment of the treaty’s relevance.
“A party that consistently and wilfully violates the core tenets of a treaty should not accuse others of non-compliance. Lasting cooperation is rooted in trust and not terror,” she added.
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India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty on April 23, a day after Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 25 tourists and a local pony operator, all men, at Baisaran Valley in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
The Indian government declared that the treaty would remain suspended until Pakistan “credibly and irreversibly” abandoned its support for cross-border terrorism.
Brokered by the World Bank and signed in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty has long been regarded as a rare instance of sustained cooperation between India and Pakistan despite strained relations.
Under the agreement, India has exclusive control over the eastern rivers – Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej – while Pakistan retains rights over the western rivers – Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab – which originate in Jammu and Kashmir.
The suspension of the treaty has created a severe water crisis in Pakistan, with two major reservoirs at dead storage levels and agricultural production declining sharply. Pakistan has urged India to immediately reinstate the treaty, claiming it remains committed to full implementation.
In May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s firm stance on cross-border terrorism, asserting that “water and blood cannot flow together.”
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