Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his government had taken a “historic decision” by putting the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, calling it a move in the best interests of India’s citizens and farmers.
Participating in a 19-hour debate in the Lok Sabha on Operation Sindoor, Modi described the 1960 treaty signed by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru with Pakistan as a “big betrayal” of India’s dignity.
“It has been an old habit of the Congress to mortgage India’s interests. The biggest example of this is the Indus Waters Treaty. Who signed this treaty? Nehru did it and granted rights to 80 per cent of the waters of the rivers originating in India and flowing to Pakistan,” Modi said, as Congress members protested.
The Prime Minister said India had firmly conveyed its stance that “blood and water cannot flow together” and criticised past governments for neglecting the treaty.
Suspension of the Treaty Post-Pahalgam Attack
Following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India suspended the treaty and began desilting exercises while drawing plans to channel water from the Indus system to Rajasthan and Gujarat through a network of canals. However, a welded gate on one dam has been preventing complete desilting.
“The country will be shocked to learn that these facts have been hidden and suppressed,” Modi said. “Whenever a dam is built, there is a mechanism for cleaning it. Nehru agreed to Pakistan’s condition that silt and debris accumulating in these dams could not be cleaned without their consent. Our dams, our water, but Pakistan’s decision.”
He also revealed that Nehru agreed to pay Pakistan crores of rupees to build canals on the Indus and other rivers while accepting restrictions on India’s desilting rights.
A ‘Direct Betrayal’ of India’s Interests
Modi accused Nehru of allowing the World Bank to mediate river water sharing, giving Pakistan control over 80% of the water.
“Nehru signed this treaty that granted rights to 80 per cent water to Pakistan and 20 per cent to a big country like India. What kind of diplomacy is this?” Modi asked.
He argued that if the treaty had not been signed, India could have built major projects on western rivers to benefit farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi, ensuring adequate drinking water and electricity.
“The Indus Waters Treaty was a direct betrayal of India’s identity and pride… Can someone explain the rationale, what was the national interest, where was diplomacy?” Modi questioned.
Nehru’s Admission of Error
Modi also cited accounts from Niranjan Das Gulati, involved in the treaty negotiations, who recalled Nehru admitting the agreement was a mistake.
“Nehru told him that he hoped the treaty would open the way for solving other problems, but they were still where they started,” Modi said.
He reiterated that by suspending the treaty, his government had “rectified a big blunder” and restored control over water crucial for India’s farmers and future development.
