Pakistan slams India’s move on Indus Waters Treaty in nuclearised region

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has drawn attention to India’s unilateral action of holding in abeyance the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) during a United Nations Security Council meeting held under the Arria-Formula format, warning that such moves undermine confidence-building mechanisms in a nuclearized region.

Speakers at the meeting emphasised the fundamental principle of pacta sunt servanda—that agreements must be honoured—to uphold international law and maintain global stability.

The speakers also reaffirmed the binding nature of treaties under international law during the 15-member Council meeting, which was convened by Pakistan.

Arria-Formula meetings, named after a former Venezuelan UN ambassador, are informal sessions that allow Security Council members to engage in frank and private exchanges of views on relevant issues.

The subject of meeting was “Upholding the Sanctity of Treaties for the Maintenance of International Peace and Security.”

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, presided over the meeting, which was attended by more than 40 delegations and subject-matter experts.

“When the lifelines of millions are placed under unilateral discretion, the risks are not hypothetical—they are real and immediate,” Ambassador Asim warned, highlighting the severe impact that any interruption in water flows could have on downstream populations.

Referring to the Indus Waters Treaty, he said it is widely regarded as one of the most resilient water-sharing agreements in the world.

“For over six decades, it has withstood the test of time—wars, crises, and deep political tensions between India and Pakistan, including the longstanding dispute over Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

He added that the treaty’s durability lies in its design: a carefully balanced allocation of rights and obligations, institutionalised cooperation, and well-defined, layered dispute-settlement mechanisms intended to ensure disagreements are resolved through law and technical expertise rather than unilateral action.

Ambassador Asim said India’s unilateral move to hold the IWT in abeyance represents a “grave departure” from this legal and historical legacy, undermining a long-standing confidence-building framework in a nuclearised region and injecting uncertainty into the management of a shared, life-sustaining resource.

He further noted that in August 2025, the Court of Arbitration issued key decisions affirming that the Indus Waters Treaty remains in force, its dispute-settlement mechanisms remain binding, and that no party has the legal authority to unilaterally suspend or render the treaty inoperative.