Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has bluntly said that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which India unilaterally suspended, will never be restored.
He made a bold claim, saying, “We will take the water that was flowing to Pakistan to Rajasthan by constructing a canal. Pakistan will be starved of the water it has been getting unjustifiably.”
Later, Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated that “India is weaponising water for political ends,” calling it irresponsible and contrary to the conduct of a responsible state.
But India can neither stop nor divert Pakistan’s water — here’s why:
According to India’s own media outlet, the country does not have the storage capacity to stop water from flowing into Pakistan.
Since suspending the treaty, India has faced widespread criticism globally.
Moreover, India had no right to unilaterally suspend the water treaty. The Indus Waters Treaty is a binding international agreement, not a temporary arrangement that can be discarded at will.
Last month, it was reported that India plans to dramatically increase the amount of water it draws from a major river that feeds Pakistani farms downstream.
