Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made his first public statement following the Indian government’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. He firmly asserted that water intended for India would now stay within the country and be used for its own needs.
Addressing an event, Prime Minister Modi said, “Pehle Bharat ke haq ka paani bhi bahar ja raha tha... ab Bharat ka paani, Bharat ke haq mein bahega, Bharat ke haq mein rukega aur Bharat ke hi kaam aayega,” which translates to, “Earlier, even India’s rightful share of water used to flow out. Now, India’s water will flow for India, stay for India, and serve India.”
His remarks come just days after the Indian government officially announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — a water-sharing pact signed with Pakistan in 1960 and brokered by the World Bank. The move followed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the death of 26 civilians.
India, long vocal about cross-border terrorism originating from Pakistan, opted to take strong action in response to the attack. The decision to halt the treaty’s implementation was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), India’s top authority on national security matters.
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Government officials have clarified that the suspension is conditional and will remain in place until Pakistan ceases its support for cross-border terrorism. This marks the first time since the treaty was signed that India has officially suspended its participation — a significant diplomatic departure from past practice.
Though the treaty has faced repeated scrutiny over the years amid strained bilateral relations, successive governments had refrained from altering its terms. Prime Minister Modi, in his address, criticised previous administrations for their reluctance to act decisively.
“There was a time when, before taking any essential step, people used to think what the world would think... They used to think whether they would get a vote, and whether their seat would be safe. Because of these reasons, major reforms were delayed. No country can move forward like this. The country moves forward when we keep the nation first,” Modi said.
The suspension of the treaty is being viewed as part of a broader strategy to apply diplomatic and economic pressure on Pakistan in response to terrorism.
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