India Keeps Indus Waters Treaty Suspended as Pakistan Warns of War

India’s foreign ministry confirmed on June 5 that the Indus Waters Treaty will remain suspended “until Pakistan completely stops cross-border terrorism,” maintaining a position it adopted after the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent four-day India-Pakistan war in May 2025. Pakistan’s defense minister responded by stating that any Indian attempt to restrict water flows could trigger military action.

The treaty, in force for 66 years until India suspended it, governs water sharing from the Indus river system between the two countries and has survived multiple wars since it was signed in 1960.

Why the Treaty Matters and What Suspension Means in Practice

The Indus Waters Treaty allocated the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — primarily to India and the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — primarily to Pakistan. Pakistan depends on those western rivers for the vast majority of its agricultural water supply.

CNBC reported on June 22 that the dispute is becoming one of the more dangerous flashpoints in the broader post-war tensions between the two countries.

India has not formally announced plans to divert or withhold water. The suspension is currently treated as a diplomatic leverage point rather than an active operational change.

Track-II Talks Have Started but the Core Issues Remain Unresolved

Indian and Pakistani officials met informally at a Track-II dialogue organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Colombo, marking the first reported backchannel engagement since relations collapsed after Pahalgam.

The water question is likely to remain unresolved until the broader terrorism issue advances. India has made clear that the two are linked in its calculation.

The Indus Waters Treaty is suspended, Pakistan’s defense minister has spoken about war, and backchannel talks have barely begun. The distance between those three facts is where the risk lives.