Geneva, March 20: India issued a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan at the United Nations, asserting that the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty cannot be maintained while facing continuous cross-border terrorism. During a World Water Day event, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Harish Parvathaneni, stated that New Delhi originally entered the agreement in a spirit of goodwill and friendship, but maintained that this commitment has been undermined by decades of aggression.
The Indian envoy declared that the treaty was placed in abeyance because responsibility in international water-sharing is a two-way street. Parvathaneni affirmed that Pakistan had violated the core spirit of the agreement by inflicting three wars and thousands of terror attacks on India. He further maintained that tens of thousands of innocent citizens have fallen victim to these sponsored acts of violence, making the sustainability of the decades-old pact untenable under current conditions.
In his address, Parvathaneni noted that the 1960 agreement no longer reflects modern technological advancements, clean energy requirements, or climate realities. He stated that India’s attempts to discuss necessary modifications to the treaty were repeatedly rebuffed by Islamabad. The envoy asserted that Pakistan must credibly and irrevocably end its support for all forms of terrorism before the sanctity of such treaties can be discussed.
While the session also focused on India’s domestic water governance, such as the Jal Jeevan Mission, the diplomatic exchange took center stage. Parvathaneni asserted that Pakistan had misused the multilateral forum to raise bilateral grievances, prompting the formal response. He concluded by stating that Pakistan must uphold the sanctity of human life as a prerequisite for international cooperation.
