India’s Home Minister declares end to water treaty with Pakistan

India’s Home Minister Amit Shah has confirmed that India will no longer return to the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.

In a recent interview with The Times of India, Shah emphasised that the treaty, which governs the sharing of the Indus River waters between the two countries, will remain suspended indefinitely.

“No, it will never be restored. International treaties can’t be annulled unilaterally but we had the right to put it in abeyance, which we have done,” Shah said. He added that the treaty was originally designed to promote peace and progress between India and Pakistan, but those foundations have since been broken.

Highlighting India’s future plans, Shah revealed that the government intends to construct a canal to divert river waters previously flowing into Pakistan toward the Indian state of Rajasthan. “Pakistan will be starved of water that it has been getting unjustifiably,” he declared.

The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, has long been a cornerstone of water sharing between India and Pakistan despite their tense relations. Shah’s announcement marks a significant shift in India’s approach and is likely to escalate tensions between the two neighbours.

By Vugar Khalilov