India’s move to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack by a Pakistan-based group is described as principled, proportionate, conditional, and reversible. It is clarified that this action is not about weaponizing water but about halting cooperation with a nation known for sponsoring terrorism.
Pakistan’s response to India’s decision was immediate, portraying it as an act of war and branding it as water weaponization due to its heavy reliance on the Indus water system. A year after the attack, Pakistan raised the issue at the UN Security Council, urging India to fully implement the treaty while warning of potential humanitarian consequences.
The report emphasizes that the UN Security Council, though responsible for global peace and security, is not a body for interpreting treaties. It points out that parties are bound by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties to implement agreements in good faith, a standard that selective compliance cannot meet while peaceful coexistence conditions are undermined.
India’s stance is based on Pakistan’s alleged support for cross-border terrorism, leading to the breakdown of bilateral cooperation. The report stresses the need for Pakistan to unequivocally renounce backing for such terrorism, citing international obligations and resolutions that require states to prevent terrorist activities from their territories.
Contrary to Pakistan’s claims of water weaponization, India has not violated the treaty by obstructing Pakistani waters but has suspended cooperative activities like data exchange and dispute mechanisms. The report highlights India’s consistent position and openness to reengage in the treaty, contingent on Pakistan’s credible abandonment of cross-border terrorism through appropriate channels.
