India Rules Out Restoring Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan

New Delhi, June 22, 2025 : India has said it will never restore the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, with Home Minister Amit Shah confirming that water previously flowing to Pakistan will now be diverted for domestic use.

Speaking to The Times of India on Saturday, Shah stated, “No, it will never be restored. We will take water that was flowing to Pakistan to Rajasthan by constructing a canal. Pakistan will be starved of water that it has been getting unjustifiably.”

Signed in 1960, the treaty governed the usage of the Indus river system and guaranteed Pakistan access to over 80% of the water flowing from rivers originating in India. However, India suspended its participation earlier this year after 26 civilians were killed in a terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants. Islamabad has denied any involvement.

Despite a ceasefire reached last month following a period of heavy cross-border violence, Shah’s remarks confirm a hardened stance in New Delhi and dim any immediate hopes for renewed talks.

Last month, Reuters reported India’s plans to significantly increase its usage of the river waters, potentially impacting Pakistani agriculture downstream.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry has not responded to the latest statements, though it has previously insisted that the treaty cannot be unilaterally withdrawn from and warned that blocking river waters would be considered “an act of war.”

The Indus Waters Treaty had long been seen as a rare pillar of India-Pakistan cooperation. Its potential collapse now raises serious concerns over regional stability and the future of water-sharing in South Asia.

Source: Reuters