India Accuses Pakistan of Disinformation and Treaty Violations at UN Security Council
NEW YORK – In a forceful address at the United Nations Security Council, India directly accused Pakistan of spreading disinformation regarding the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) and reaffirmed its commitment to responsible water management despite enduring cross-border terrorism emanating from its neighbor. Addressing the Arria Formula Meeting on “Protecting Water in Armed Conflict – Protecting Civilian Lives,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, categorically refuted Pakistan’s claims concerning the treaty, highlighting what he termed Pakistan’s blatant disregard for the treaty’s spirit through its support for cross-border terrorism and its persistent obstruction of efforts to modernize the agreement. Harish underscored India’s long-standing commitment to responsible conduct as an upper riparian state and accused Pakistan of distorting the facts surrounding the treaty and its implementation.
Harish emphasized India’s good faith engagement with the IWT since its inception 65 years ago, recalling the spirit of goodwill and friendship that underpinned the treaty’s signing. However, he pointedly stated that this spirit has been systematically violated by Pakistan’s actions, including three wars and countless terror attacks against India, resulting in the tragic loss of over 20,000 Indian lives in the past four decades. He specifically cited the recent Pahalgam terror attack, targeting tourists, as a stark example of Pakistan’s continued sponsorship of terrorism. He argued that these actions demonstrate a clear disregard for the treaty’s intended purpose and a cynical attempt to exploit the shared water resource for political gain. He further asserted that Pakistan’s state-sponsored terrorism directly threatens the lives of civilians, undermines religious harmony, and jeopardizes economic prosperity in the region.
The Indian representative highlighted the significant geopolitical and environmental transformations that have occurred since the treaty’s signing, including escalating security concerns due to cross-border terrorism, the growing need for clean energy sources, the pervasive impact of climate change, and significant demographic shifts. He also noted advancements in dam infrastructure technology that necessitate modifications to ensure operational safety and efficiency. Harish drew attention to the vulnerability of aging dams, some of which face serious safety risks, and cited the 2012 terrorist attack on the Tulbul Navigation Project in Jammu and Kashmir as a testament to the ongoing security threats to these critical infrastructure projects and the civilian lives connected to them.
Harish revealed that India has repeatedly, over the past two years, formally requested Pakistan to engage in discussions regarding modifications to the IWT. These proposed modifications are permissible under the treaty’s provisions and are essential to address the aforementioned changes and ensure the treaty’s continued relevance and effectiveness. However, he lamented Pakistan’s consistent and obstructive refusal to consider any changes to the existing infrastructure or provisions of the treaty, effectively hindering India’s ability to fully utilize its legitimate rights under the agreement. This intransigence, Harish argued, demonstrates Pakistan’s unwillingness to adapt to the changing realities and its preference for maintaining a status quo that it can exploit for political leverage.
The Indian representative further criticized Pakistan’s stance as a blatant violation of the IWT’s spirit and principles. He argued that Pakistan’s actions, which include sponsoring cross-border terrorism and blocking essential modifications to the treaty, demonstrate a clear disregard for the cooperative framework envisioned by the IWT. By refusing to engage in constructive dialogue and impeding necessary updates to the treaty, Pakistan is actively undermining the agreement’s long-term viability and jeopardizing the shared water resource.
Following the Pahalgam terror attack, which India attributed to Pakistan-based terrorists, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in April 2025. This action, Harish explained, was a direct consequence of Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism and its refusal to address India’s concerns regarding the treaty. He concluded his statement by unequivocally declaring that it is Pakistan, not India, that stands in violation of the Indus Water Treaty, both in letter and in spirit. This strong stance taken by India at the UN Security Council underscores the escalating tensions between the two countries over the shared Indus River system and the urgent need for international intervention to resolve the long-standing dispute.