At the UN, India strongly replied to Pakistan's "disinformation" about the Indus Waters Treaty, highlighting that Islamabad has breached the treaty's original spirit by fighting three wars and masterminding thousands of terror attacks against India.
These actions, India contended, are meant to hold civilian lives, religious peace, and economic progress hostage.
We are bound to counter the propaganda being conducted by the Pakistan delegation regarding the Indus Waters Treaty. India has constantly behaved responsibly as an upper riparian country," said India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, on Friday.
Harish made these observations at the UN Security Council Arria Formula session, facilitated by the Permanent Mission of Slovenia with the title 'Protecting Water in Armed Conflict – Protecting Civilian Lives.'
In his address, Harish presented four main points to disprove Pakistan's false assertions regarding India's decision to put the Indus Waters Treaty on hold. India made this move following the heinous Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, in which 26 civilians were killed. India announced that the 1960 treaty would be kept in abeyance unless Pakistan categorically abandons its support of cross-border terrorism.
The ambassador pointed out that India had signed the Indus Waters Treaty more than sixty years ago in "good faith." Citing the treaty's Preamble, where it is mentioned that it was made "in a spirit of good will and friendship," Harish emphasized, "Pakistan has abrogated the spirit of the treaty by subjecting India to three wars and thousands of terror attacks during these 65 years.".
Harish also emphasized that more than 20,000 Indian lives have been lost in terrorist incidents during the past four decades, citing the recent heinous attack on tourists in Pahalgam as the latest example.
Despite India’s extraordinary patience and restraint during this period, Harish condemned Pakistan’s “state-sponsored cross-border terrorism in India,” which aims to hold civilian lives, communal peace, and economic progress hostage.
The Indian envoy further noted that India has repeatedly sought discussions with Pakistan over amendments to the treaty over the past two years, but Islamabad has persistently refused. “Pakistan’s obstructionist approach continues to prevent the exercise of full utilisation of legitimate rights by India,” he stated.
Harish continued to highlight the major shifts in the last 65 years, not just in terms of the increasing security threats from cross-border terrorism but also the changing requirements for clean energy, climate resilience, and demographic changes.
"Technology for dam infrastructure has evolved to assure safety and efficiency of operations and water utilization. Some of the aging dams have severe safety issues," he said, noting that Pakistan has repeatedly "obstructed" any modernization or allowed adjustments to those infrastructures in terms of the Treaty.".
He also remembered the 2012 terror strike on the Tulbul Navigation Project in Jammu and Kashmir and stated, "These cynical actions still threaten the security of our projects and the lives of civilians."
"In view of these facts, India has now declared that the treaty will remain in abeyance till Pakistan, a world hub of terror, irrevocably and credibly suspends its support to cross-border terrorism. It is evident that it is Pakistan which is still in contravention of the Indus Waters Treaty," Harish concluded.
Earlier in the day, Harish had reacted strongly to Pakistan at a UN Security Council open debate on the 'Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict.' He described Pakistan's action as "grossly hypocritical" and claimed that a nation which makes no distinction between civilians and terrorists is not fit to preach protection of civilians.
Following Pakistan's ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, bringing up the Kashmir dispute and linking it to the recent violence between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, Harish ruled out these charges as unfounded. He emphasized decades of terrorist intrusions into India's borders sponsored by Pakistan.
This has varied from the ghastly 26/11 terrorist attack in the city of Mumbai to the barbaric slaughter of innocent tourists in Pahalgam in April 2025. Pakistani terrorism's victims have been mostly civilians as its aim has been to strike at our prosperity, progress and morale. For a country that is doing such acts of terrorism to even put itself on the table in a discussion on civilian protection is an insult to the global community," Harish said.
India-Pakistan tensions escalated after the attack at Pahalgam. India initiated 'Operation Sindoor,' conducting targeted attacks on terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early morning hours of May 7. Pakistan counter-attacked by trying to attack Indian military establishments on May 8, 9, and 10.
India reacted sternly to these provocations, and the hostilities on the ground ceased after negotiations between the Directors General of Military Operations of the two nations on May 10 led to an agreement on both sides to halt military action.
Harish ended his presentation to the UN Security Council by highlighting that Pakistan has repeatedly used civilian populations to hide its terrorist activities.
Read also| EAM Jaishankar Asserts India’s Resolve Against Nuclear Blackmail During Germany Visit
Read also| China Plans to Boost Satellite Support for Pakistan Army Following Recent Talks
