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The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), in its current form, is unlikely to become operational again, with any future arrangement on sharing river waters contingent on Pakistan permanently ending cross-border terrorism against India, PTI reported, citing government sources, on Monday.
The sources said that if cooperation under the over-65-year-old treaty is ever restored, it would have to be under a revised framework rather than the existing pact.
"It would be accurate to say that the Indus Waters Treaty in its present form will not function again. If provisions related to river water sharing have to be reactivated, they have to be done in a different form, not in the present form. And only if Pakistan abjures terrorism," a government source said, according to PTI.
The remarks come months after India placed the treaty in abeyance following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The suspension was part of a series of diplomatic and economic measures announced against Pakistan after the attack.
India has maintained that the attack was carried out by The Resistance Front (TRF), which it describes as a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). In May, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting what it described as terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.
No immediate move to exit treaty
Government sources told News18 that India is not actively considering withdrawing from the Indus Waters Treaty at present. However, they stressed that as a sovereign nation, India retains the right to terminate any international agreement if it is found to be against the country's interests.
"It (exiting the IWT) depends on the actions that Pakistan takes going forward," a government source told News18.
According to the sources, the future of the treaty will primarily depend on whether Pakistan takes credible and irreversible steps to dismantle terror infrastructure and end cross-border terrorism.
India rejects Pakistan's water scarcity claims
India has rejected Pakistan's claim that keeping the treaty in abeyance has led to water shortages in the neighbouring country, reported News18 citing sources.
The sources argued that Pakistan loses a significant portion of the water it already receives due to inadequate storage infrastructure, widespread leakages and unresolved water-sharing disputes among its own provinces. They alleged that Islamabad was attempting to create a "false narrative" by blaming India for issues rooted in its domestic water management.
The government also maintained that there is no indication Pakistan has taken meaningful steps to curb terrorism despite India's repeated concerns.
"On the contrary, we continue to receive reports that proscribed individuals and entities sanctioned by the UN Security Council's 1267 sanctions committee continue to appear at public events in Pakistan, continue to be able to have platforms that they can use to propagate their messages," a government source told News18.
Another government source quoted by News18 said Indian agencies continue to receive intelligence indicating that terrorist activity across the Line of Control remains active.
"The evidence that our agencies have in terms of their activities just across the Line of Control also suggests that there are no credible steps that have been taken so far to control terrorist activities," the source said.
Pakistan accused of delaying Indian hydropower projects
Government sources cited by News18 also accused Pakistan of repeatedly using the treaty's dispute-resolution mechanisms to delay India's hydroelectric projects on the western rivers.
According to the sources, nearly every Indian project, irrespective of its size or technical specifications, has faced objections from Pakistan. They cited projects including Salal, Tulbul, Baglihar, Kishenganga, Ratle and Pakal Dul, saying they were subjected to prolonged objections.
The sources also noted that even a small 200-kilowatt hydropower project meant to electrify a remote tribal region was challenged.
Pakistan repeatedly escalated routine technical issues to third-party forums, prolonged bilateral discussions, and simultaneously pursued proceedings before both the Neutral Expert and the Court of Arbitration, despite the treaty prescribing a graded dispute-resolution mechanism, according to News18 report.
Indus Waters Treaty: Background
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed by India and Pakistan on September 19, 1960, after nine years of negotiations under the aegis of the World Bank to regulate the sharing of the Indus river system.
Under the agreement, India has rights over the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas and Sutlej—while Pakistan has rights over the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. The treaty also permits India to build run-of-the-river hydroelectric projects, including Kishenganga and Ratle, on the western rivers before they flow into Pakistan.
News18, citing government sources, reported that Pakistan initially sought the appointment of a Neutral Expert over the Kishenganga and Ratle projects in 2015 but later withdrew that request and sought a Court of Arbitration in 2016.
The World Bank subsequently appointed both a Neutral Expert and a Court of Arbitration. India participated in the proceedings before the Neutral Expert but declined to recognise the Court of Arbitration.
According to government sources cited by News18, Pakistan's approach over the years has reflected a pattern of obstruction rather than cooperation, with dispute-resolution mechanisms being used not to ensure treaty compliance but to delay India's developmental projects.
The sources said that if cooperation under the over-65-year-old treaty is ever restored, it would have to be under a revised framework rather than the existing pact.
"It would be accurate to say that the Indus Waters Treaty in its present form will not function again. If provisions related to river water sharing have to be reactivated, they have to be done in a different form, not in the present form. And only if Pakistan abjures terrorism," a government source said, according to PTI.
The remarks come months after India placed the treaty in abeyance following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The suspension was part of a series of diplomatic and economic measures announced against Pakistan after the attack.
India has maintained that the attack was carried out by The Resistance Front (TRF), which it describes as a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). In May, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting what it described as terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.
No immediate move to exit treaty
Government sources told News18 that India is not actively considering withdrawing from the Indus Waters Treaty at present. However, they stressed that as a sovereign nation, India retains the right to terminate any international agreement if it is found to be against the country's interests.
"It (exiting the IWT) depends on the actions that Pakistan takes going forward," a government source told News18.
According to the sources, the future of the treaty will primarily depend on whether Pakistan takes credible and irreversible steps to dismantle terror infrastructure and end cross-border terrorism.
India rejects Pakistan's water scarcity claims
India has rejected Pakistan's claim that keeping the treaty in abeyance has led to water shortages in the neighbouring country, reported News18 citing sources.
The sources argued that Pakistan loses a significant portion of the water it already receives due to inadequate storage infrastructure, widespread leakages and unresolved water-sharing disputes among its own provinces. They alleged that Islamabad was attempting to create a "false narrative" by blaming India for issues rooted in its domestic water management.
The government also maintained that there is no indication Pakistan has taken meaningful steps to curb terrorism despite India's repeated concerns.
"On the contrary, we continue to receive reports that proscribed individuals and entities sanctioned by the UN Security Council's 1267 sanctions committee continue to appear at public events in Pakistan, continue to be able to have platforms that they can use to propagate their messages," a government source told News18.
Another government source quoted by News18 said Indian agencies continue to receive intelligence indicating that terrorist activity across the Line of Control remains active.
"The evidence that our agencies have in terms of their activities just across the Line of Control also suggests that there are no credible steps that have been taken so far to control terrorist activities," the source said.
Pakistan accused of delaying Indian hydropower projects
Government sources cited by News18 also accused Pakistan of repeatedly using the treaty's dispute-resolution mechanisms to delay India's hydroelectric projects on the western rivers.
According to the sources, nearly every Indian project, irrespective of its size or technical specifications, has faced objections from Pakistan. They cited projects including Salal, Tulbul, Baglihar, Kishenganga, Ratle and Pakal Dul, saying they were subjected to prolonged objections.
The sources also noted that even a small 200-kilowatt hydropower project meant to electrify a remote tribal region was challenged.
Pakistan repeatedly escalated routine technical issues to third-party forums, prolonged bilateral discussions, and simultaneously pursued proceedings before both the Neutral Expert and the Court of Arbitration, despite the treaty prescribing a graded dispute-resolution mechanism, according to News18 report.
Indus Waters Treaty: Background
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed by India and Pakistan on September 19, 1960, after nine years of negotiations under the aegis of the World Bank to regulate the sharing of the Indus river system.
Under the agreement, India has rights over the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas and Sutlej—while Pakistan has rights over the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. The treaty also permits India to build run-of-the-river hydroelectric projects, including Kishenganga and Ratle, on the western rivers before they flow into Pakistan.
News18, citing government sources, reported that Pakistan initially sought the appointment of a Neutral Expert over the Kishenganga and Ratle projects in 2015 but later withdrew that request and sought a Court of Arbitration in 2016.
The World Bank subsequently appointed both a Neutral Expert and a Court of Arbitration. India participated in the proceedings before the Neutral Expert but declined to recognise the Court of Arbitration.
According to government sources cited by News18, Pakistan's approach over the years has reflected a pattern of obstruction rather than cooperation, with dispute-resolution mechanisms being used not to ensure treaty compliance but to delay India's developmental projects.
