India rejects Pakistan’s war warning over Indus Waters Treaty

India strongly criticised Pakistan on Tuesday after Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif warned that his country could go to war if its water security was threatened. The comments came after India made it clear that its decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty suspended would not change.

The Indian government called Pakistan’s statement “desperate” and accused it of trying to hide its own failures.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Pakistan was using such strong statements to divert attention from serious issues inside its own country, including human rights concerns.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India completely rejected Pakistan’s claims. He added that such remarks were baseless and meant to shift focus away from Pakistan’s internal problems.

This latest exchange has increased tensions between the two countries at a time when relations are already strained.

The Indus Waters Treaty has been one of the most important agreements between India and Pakistan for over six decades. But now, the treaty has become a fresh point of conflict.

India’s decision to keep the treaty in abeyance has created deep concern in Pakistan, where water is seen as a matter of national security.

Pakistan depends heavily on rivers covered under the treaty, especially for farming and drinking water.

Khwaja Asif said if Pakistan felt its water supply was being threatened, it would be ready to take military action.

His statement has now sparked strong reactions in India.

India accuses Pakistan of hiding its failures

India said Pakistan’s comments were an attempt to hide bigger issues.

During a press briefing, Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan was trying to distract the world from human rights abuses and poor governance.

He also spoke about the situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying the people there have suffered because of Pakistan’s policies for many years.

According to India, the region has faced economic exploitation, lack of basic rights and administrative oppression.

Jaiswal claimed that Pakistan has used harsh measures against civilians, including internet shutdowns, blocking essential supplies and even using force against unarmed people.

He said several people had died because of these actions.

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India urged the international community to hold Pakistan responsible for its actions and human rights record.

This sharp response shows how serious India views Pakistan’s recent statements.

Indian officials also reminded that Pakistan’s current water problems are mostly due to poor management and internal planning failures.

Experts have often said Pakistan’s water shortage is linked to outdated infrastructure, wasteful irrigation systems and population growth.

India believes blaming New Delhi will not solve those problems.

Why the Indus Waters Treaty matters

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 with the help of the World Bank.

It was created to divide the waters of the Indus River system between India and Pakistan.

Under the agreement, Pakistan received control over the western rivers — the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.

India got control over the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.

India is also allowed to use some water from the western rivers for farming, domestic use and hydroelectric projects, but within fixed limits.

For many years, this treaty survived even during wars and major political tensions.

It was often seen as a rare example of cooperation between the two countries.

But that changed after the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir last year.

The attack killed 26 people and led India to take several tough steps against Pakistan.

One of those steps was putting the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.

India said this was necessary due to security concerns.

Pakistan strongly opposed the move and said it was against international agreements.

Since then, tensions have been growing.

Khwaja Asif recently accused India of “weaponising water” and said New Delhi was manipulating water flow in the Chenab River.

He also claimed India was withholding important water data.

India has denied these accusations.

Experts say water has always been a sensitive issue between the two countries because both depend heavily on these rivers.

For Pakistan, the western rivers are crucial for agriculture, which supports a large part of its economy.

Any disruption could create serious problems.

That is why Pakistan sees this issue as directly linked to national security.

At the same time, India argues that its actions are within its rights and are linked to broader security concerns.

The current situation shows how water can become a major political issue between neighboring countries.

It also highlights how important trust and communication are in maintaining peace.

For now, both sides remain firm on their positions.

India says its decision on the treaty will remain unchanged.

Pakistan says it will protect its water interests at any cost.

The coming weeks may be important in deciding whether the issue remains political or grows into a bigger diplomatic crisis.

As tensions continue, the future of one of the world’s oldest water-sharing agreements remains uncertain.