New Delhi: India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, has strongly criticized Pakistan over the Indus Waters Treaty. He said the treaty was signed in the spirit of goodwill and friendship between the two countries, but Pakistan has destroyed this spirit through decades of terrorism and hostility.
He says that India’s decision to suspend the treaty is not a new step, but a formal acceptance of the long-standing deteriorating situation.
Pakistan damaged the basic spirit of the treaty
Vinay Mohan Kwatra, in his article, stated that the Indus Waters Treaty’s preamble clearly states goodwill and friendship, but Pakistan’s behavior over the past several decades has undermined this objective. He stated that India has consistently adhered to the treaty, while Pakistan has repeatedly taken steps that have further strained relations between the two countries.
India fulfilled its responsibility, Pakistan protested
The 1960 Indus Water Treaty divided the waters of six rivers between India and Pakistan. Kwatra said that while this arrangement was not entirely favorable for India, India faithfully adhered to the treaty. In contrast, Pakistan consistently raised objections to India’s water projects and opposed attempts to amend the treaty to reflect technological changes.
Long history of terrorism recounted
The Indian ambassador said that Pakistan had fostered cross-border terrorism for years. He cited the wars of 1965, 1971, and 1999, as well as terrorist attacks such as the Parliament attack, the Mumbai terrorist attack, Uri, Pathankot, Pulwama, and Pahalgam. According to him, it was impossible to maintain a spirit of trust and cooperation in such an environment.
Terror and talks cannot go together.
Kwatra also cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that “terror and talks cannot go together, terror and trade cannot go together, and water and blood cannot flow together.” He said that if Pakistan truly wants better relations, it must first dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism.
Advice given to Pakistan on water crisis too
The Indian ambassador stated that Pakistan’s current water crisis is not due to India, but rather to its own poor water management and mismanagement. He advised that instead of blaming India, Pakistan should focus on improving its water policy and resource management. According to him, the policy of blaming India for every internal problem has become outdated in the eyes of the world.