Not too far away from Iran, Indian Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah stated in an interview with The Times of India on the 21st that India will never resume compliance with the Indus Waters Treaty signed with Pakistan, and the water that previously flowed to Pakistan will be redirected for domestic use in India.
“No, there will be no resumption (of compliance),” Shah said. “We will construct a canal to divert the water originally flowing to Pakistan to Rajasthan. Pakistan will not be able to access the water.”
Pakistan has previously stated that the treaty does not grant either party the right to unilaterally withdraw, and any Indian action to block river water flow to Pakistan would be considered an “act of war.” Regarding India’s decision to suspend the treaty, Pakistan is also studying legal actions under international law.
In 1960, the World Bank facilitated the signing of the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan, regulating the distribution of water resources from the Indus River and its tributaries between the two countries. The Indian government recently announced the suspension of the treaty in response to a gun attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed over 20 people. Regarding the attack, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that India’s accusations against Pakistan are baseless. On May 22, Pakistan’s National Assembly passed a resolution condemning India’s attempt to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a violation of international agreements and a threat to regional stability.
