India has made it clear that any 'future arrangement' with Pakistan with regard water sharing would require Islamabad to demonstrate that it has ended cross-border terrorism.
It has been made that in recent months, New Delhi has hardened its stance on the six-and-half decade old pact saying it cannot continue in its current form.
It needs to be reviewed and overhauled. Pakistan is unnerved by India's decision to keep the Indus Water Treaty in cold storage as a post-Pahalgam measure.
While the Modi Govt wants Pakistan to give up its years old policy of terror-sponsorship; both Pakistan's military and political leadership have repeatedly warned India of 'consequences'.
The across the border rhetoric include the possibility of war and even the use of nuclear weapons on the plea -- if New Delhi were to completely stop the flow of water following its suspension of the treaty.
None has seen any "evidence" of Pakistan making any effort to end sponsorship to anti-India terrorism, it has been stated.
Hence, New Delhi's stance remains the same. Any future "reactivation" of the river water-sharing provisions would require the treaty to be renegotiated.
And to kickstart talks into that effect; Islamabad/Rawalpindi must bring an halt to support for terrorism directed against India.
India - as stated earlier in multiple occasions - is not actively looking to withdraw from the treaty at this stage. However, the central Govt retains the right as a 'sovereign state' to terminate any treaty that is demonstrably not in its 'national interests'.
The Indus Water pact in its present form will not function again. If provisions related to river water sharing have to be reactivated, they have to be done in a new and 'different form'.
But first, Pakistan will have to shun and abjure terrorism.
Any future course of actions and decisions by India to revive the ITW would certainly depend primarily on Pakistan's actions and that way the primary step will be to stop cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan is reportedly bearing a heavy price for pursuing international arbitration against India.
Because India boycotted the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) proceedings, Pakistan is footing the entire legal bill—paying both its own and India's share of the costs.
Islamabad has already spent over $600,000 to keep the arbitration alive.
The ITW was suspended by India in April 2025 after Pahalgam terror act.
India has been also reportedly considering plans to dramatically increase the water it draws from the river that actually feeds Pakistani farms downstream.
New Delhi's "put in abeyance" its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 was only a retaliatory step brought in after 26 civilians (Hindus) were killed at Pahalgam.
The accord was not revived despite the two nuclear-armed neighbours agreeing a ceasefire in May 2025 after India's Operation Sindoor.
Under the World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty, New Delhi has rights over the eastern rivers Ravi, Beas and Sutlej and Pakistan controls the western rivers Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.
The pact gives both countries specified usage rights over each other's rivers, and also allows India to build run-of-river hydroelectric projects, such as Kishenganga and Ratle, on the western tributaries before they cross into Pakistan.
New Delhi said that Pakistan is trying to push what they called a false narrative that India's decision to keep the treaty in abeyance is causing water scarcity.
It is understood that a significant volume of the water received by Pakistan is lost because of its own lack of storage infrastructures and widespread leakages.
Indian officials have said the Pahalgam terror attack was carried out by The Resistance Front, which is a proxy for the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.
India carried out Operation Sindoor in May 2025 to target and destroy terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan.
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