Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil emphasized the strategic significance of suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, asserting that India will not allow even “a single drop” of the Indus River’s water to flow into Pakistan.
Union Minister hails India’s decision to suspend Indus Water Treaty
His remarks followed a high-level meeting held at the residence of Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, attended by top government officials. After the meeting, Paatil took to X (formerly Twitter), calling the move historic and fully warranted.
“The Modi government’s historic decision on the Indus Waters Treaty is absolutely justified and in the national interest. We will ensure that not a single drop of Indus water reaches Pakistan,” he posted in Hindi.
मोदी सरकार द्वारा सिंधु जल संधि पर लिया गया ऐतिहासिक निर्णय पूर्णतः न्यायसंगत और राष्ट्रहित में है।हम ख्याल रखेंगे की पाकिस्तान में सिंधु नदी का एक बूंद पानी भी नहीं जाए । pic.twitter.com/yJhdzdDAAb
— C R Paatil (@CRPaatil) April 25, 2025
India officially announced the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty on Wednesday, citing it as a response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 25 tourists and a local resident. A formal notice was sent the next day by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to Syed Ali Murtuza, Secretary of Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources.
The letter stated: “The obligation to honour treaties in good faith is a cornerstone of international relations. However, Pakistan continues to enable cross-border terrorism targeting Jammu and Kashmir, thereby violating this principle.”
India’s plan to choke Pakistan’s water supply
Following the meeting, officials confirmed that implementation of the suspension would begin without delay. A multi-phase strategy was reportedly discussed, covering immediate, mid-term, and long-term measures.
Under the treaty—brokered by the World Bank—India holds exclusive righs over the three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej), while Pakistan is allotted approximately 135 million acre-feet of water annually from the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab) that originate in India.
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In the short term, India is likely to take steps such as de-silting dams on the western rivers to increase storage capacity and reduce water flow into Pakistan. In the longer term, it may pursue the construction of new dams and infrastructure to divert or retain more water.
The decision also gives India leverage to bypass Pakistan’s objections to the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects—located on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab, respectively.
Preparation on for potential legal battle over IWT suspension
Officials noted that preparations are underway for a legal defense in anticipation of potential objections from the World Bank or other global institutions. Diplomatic efforts will also be intensified to present India’s rationale to the international community. Coordination among the Jal Shakti, Home Affairs, and External Affairs ministries is ongoing to ensure the policy shift causes minimal disruption domestically.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has issued a stern warning, declaring that any attempt to obstruct or divert its allocated water under the treaty would be considered an “act of war,” promising a decisive response across all spheres of national defense.
