Amid rising tensions following India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), Pakistan has formally appealed to New Delhi to revisit its move, citing the critical dependence of millions of people on the water resources governed by the landmark 1960 agreement.
The appeal reportedly came in a letter from Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza to Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary of India’s Jal Shakti Ministry. While the communication requests a review of the suspension, it also carries a strongly worded rebuke, labeling India’s action as “unilateral and illegal” and equating it to an “attack on the people of Pakistan and its economy.”
Sources suggest the letter was likely delivered during the recently conducted Operation Sindoor. However, Indian officials have not commented publicly on the appeal. Government sources indicate that the Cabinet Committee on Security’s April 23 decision to put the treaty on hold is unlikely to be reversed, especially in the wake of the Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of Indian tourists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement that “blood and water cannot flow together” was cited as a reflection of India’s hardened stance.
In response to Pakistan’s claim of illegality, Indian authorities assert that the treaty allows for reevaluation in light of changed circumstances — including persistent cross-border terrorism and evolving environmental realities. “The treaty was framed in a spirit of goodwill, despite being skewed against India. But Pakistan’s continued support to terrorism undermines the very foundation of the agreement,” a senior Indian official stated.
Additionally, India points to climate change and the need to reassess the infrastructure design of existing hydropower projects as further justification for the suspension. These factors, officials argue, meet the criteria for invoking a clause of the treaty that allows for reconsideration due to significant changes in conditions.
In recent days, India has undertaken maintenance operations — including flushing and desilting — at the Baglihar and Salal hydropower projects on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir. This has caused disruptions in the water flow downstream into Pakistan. With the treaty in suspension, India is no longer obligated to share water flow data with Pakistan, leading to difficulties there, especially as the sowing season approaches.
The suspension of the treaty and subsequent irregularity in river flow have intensified pressure on Pakistani farmers and agricultural planning, underlining the treaty’s significance in regional stability and water security. As the situation unfolds, diplomatic observers are closely monitoring whether backchannel communications might lead to renewed negotiations or if the standoff will persist amid deteriorating bilateral relations.
