'Can't be expected to continue to cooperate': Indian Embassy in US on suspension of Indus Waters Treaty after Pahalgam attack

The Indian Embassy in Washington on Friday issued a strong statement on the country's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan. The Embassy asserted that India should not be expected to continue to cooperate with a nation responsible for killing innocent civilians. 

In its statement, India said that through its well-documented and state-sponsored terrorism, Pakistan has constantly corroded the spirit of the treaty. 

Read MEA's full statement here

The Indus Water Treaty was concluded by India with Pakistan in a spirit of goodwill and friendship in 1960. Pakistan through its well-documented, state-sponsored terrorism directed against India has corroded this spirit. India cannot be expected to continue to cooperate with a country which is responsible for killing innocent civilians. 

The statement comes after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, citing sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan, which allegedly impedes India's rights under the bilateral agreement.

The Secretary of Water Resources, Debashree Mukherjee, highlighted that Pakistan's actions against Jammu and Kashmir violate the treaty's fundamental obligation of good faith.

The decision follows a recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in 26 fatalities, primarily tourists. India has accused Pakistan of refusing to negotiate necessary treaty modifications, which is viewed as a breach under Article XII(3).

India's government has decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance immediately. The treaty, brokered by the World Bank, governs the distribution of the Indus river system between the two nations. It grants India exclusive rights to the eastern rivers, while Pakistan largely controls the western rivers.

In response, Pakistan has dismissed India's suspension of the treaty, viewing any attempt to stop water flow as an 'act of war'. An official statement from Pakistan warned against any diversion of water belonging to them under the treaty.

The Indus river system is a critical resource for both countries, with historical agreements tracing back to post-independence boundary demarcations. The ongoing dispute underscores the complex interplay of water rights and geopolitical tensions in the region.