New Delhi: India delivered a sharp message to Pakistan at the United Nations, declaring that there will be “zero water and zero talks” until Islamabad decisively ends support for cross border terrorism against India.
Speaking at a World Water Day event, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Harish Parvathaneni, said the decision follows the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty after the April 22, 2025 attack in Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam that killed 26 Hindu tourists.
Parvathaneni stated that India had signed the treaty over six decades ago in good faith and in a spirit of cooperation. However, he said Pakistan repeatedly violated the spirit of the agreement while continuing to wage wars and support terrorist attacks targeting Indian civilians.
Referring to the Pahalgam attack, the envoy said investigations traced the operation to the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, allegedly backed by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence. According to India, continued support for such groups left the government with no choice but to suspend the water sharing agreement.
The Indian diplomat emphasised that Pakistan must prioritise the protection of human life before demanding adherence to international treaties. He stated that India would keep the treaty in abeyance until Pakistan takes credible and irreversible steps to end all forms of terrorism directed at India.
India also signalled that the move could carry significant economic and agricultural consequences for Pakistan, which depends heavily on the Indus river system for irrigation and water supply.
By linking water sharing to terrorism concerns, India framed the suspension as both a strategic and moral decision. The statement also called on Pakistan to abandon terrorism as an instrument of state policy if it wants to restore dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.
