India Holds Firm On Indus Treaty As Pakistan Seeks Global Support

The dispute over the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) has intensified, with Pakistan seeking international support for restoration of the 1960 water-sharing agreement while India maintains that its decision to keep the treaty in abeyance remains unchanged.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar raised the issue during a virtual seminar organised by the Pakistani Embassy in the United States on Friday, arguing that the treaty's suspension has serious implications for Pakistan's water, food and economic security.

India, however, has repeatedly stated that the treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan takes credible and irreversible action against cross-border terrorism.

Pakistan Seeks International Support

Dar told the US-based seminar that Pakistan's water security was directly linked to its national security and economic stability.

He urged the international community to support renewed dialogue and cooperation over the Indus river system, warning that any attempt to deprive Pakistan of waters it considers allocated to it under the treaty could have consequences for regional peace and security.

Dar also called for the restoration of technical engagement, transparency and water-data sharing between the two countries.

The latest appeal forms part of Pakistan's wider diplomatic campaign to keep international attention focused on India's decision to place the treaty in abeyance.

India Maintains Its Position

New Delhi has shown no indication of reversing its decision.

India placed the treaty in abeyance in April 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people. The government linked the future of the treaty to Pakistan's handling of cross-border terrorism.

The Ministry of External Affairs has subsequently reiterated that the pact will remain in abeyance until Islamabad credibly abjures support for cross-border terrorism.

India's position has remained consistent despite repeated Pakistani appeals and warnings.

New Delhi has also rejected suggestions that normal treaty mechanisms can continue unchanged while the agreement remains in abeyance.

Water Security At Centre

For Pakistan, the dispute is particularly sensitive because the country's agriculture and economy depend heavily on the Indus river system.

Dar said the Indus Basin supports more than 250 million Pakistanis, with water availability affecting agriculture, food security, energy production, livelihoods and economic development.

Pakistan is also facing increasing water stress, with officials pointing to declining per-capita water availability, changing rainfall patterns, glacier retreat, floods and droughts.

Islamabad argues that these pressures make cooperation and predictable water flows even more important.

Treaty Governs Six Rivers

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed by India and Pakistan in 1960 under the auspices of the World Bank.

The agreement divided the six rivers of the Indus system between the two countries. The eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — were allocated primarily to India, while the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — were allocated primarily to Pakistan, subject to specified provisions governing India's permitted uses.

For decades, the treaty survived periods of war and severe political tension between the two countries.

Its suspension has therefore become one of the most significant developments in the already strained India-Pakistan relationship.

Legal Dispute Deepens

The disagreement has also moved into the legal arena.

Pakistan has continued to rely on treaty-based dispute-resolution mechanisms and has cited findings of the Court of Arbitration to support its position that the treaty remains legally binding.

India, meanwhile, has rejected the jurisdiction and proceedings of the Court of Arbitration in the current circumstances, maintaining that the treaty remains in abeyance. Legal experts continue to debate the implications of India's position and the competing dispute-resolution processes.

The disagreement over legal mechanisms adds another layer to the broader diplomatic confrontation.

Pakistan Raises Climate Concerns

Dar also connected the dispute with the growing effects of climate change.

Pakistan has experienced severe floods, changing precipitation patterns and increasing pressure on water resources in recent years. Islamabad argues that climate-related uncertainty makes reliable transboundary water cooperation increasingly important.

Pakistan has warned that disruption to the established framework could create additional uncertainty for its agricultural and economic planning.

India, however, has maintained that its position is driven primarily by security concerns and Pakistan's alleged support for cross-border terrorism.

India Rejects Water Weaponisation Claims

New Delhi has also rejected Pakistani allegations that India is deliberately manipulating river flows to cause flooding.

The Indian government has said that changes in river levels, including increased flows in the Chenab, can result from heavy monsoon rainfall and natural hydrological conditions. It has rejected claims that such changes represent deliberate water weaponisation.

The issue has become particularly contentious during periods of heavy rainfall and flooding in both countries.

What Happens Next

For now, there is little indication of an immediate breakthrough.

Pakistan is expected to continue raising the Indus Waters Treaty issue through diplomatic and international forums, while India is maintaining that restoration of the treaty framework is conditional on a credible end to cross-border terrorism.

The dispute is therefore moving simultaneously across diplomatic, legal, security and water-management fronts.

The Indus Waters Treaty had historically provided a mechanism for managing one of the world's most sensitive transboundary river systems even during periods of conflict. Its continued suspension now represents a major test for India-Pakistan relations and the wider framework governing shared water resources.

For New Delhi, the message remains clear: water cooperation cannot be separated from security concerns. For Islamabad, restoring the treaty and securing predictable access to the Indus system remains a vital national priority.

The immediate question is whether the two sides can eventually find a diplomatic pathway that addresses their competing security and water interests without allowing the dispute to become another source of escalation in South Asia.