On Thursday, India reiterated its stance that the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan would remain suspended. This decision, articulated by External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, is contingent on Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” abandoning its support for cross-border terrorism, emphasizing that “water and blood” cannot flow together.
Jaiswal also clarified that any bilateral discussions with Islamabad would solely focus on Pakistan vacating illegally occupied territories in Kashmir. Addressing a question about President Donald Trump’s interest in mediating the Kashmir issue, Jaiswal underscored India’s position that any engagement with Pakistan must be bilateral. He reiterated the principle that “talks and terror don’t go together.”
Furthermore, Jaiswal stated that India is open to discussing the handover of terrorists whose list was previously provided to Pakistan.
Regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, Jaiswal confirmed its continued abeyance until Pakistan ceases its support for cross-border terrorism. He quoted the Prime Minister’s assertion that “water and blood cannot flow together.”
These measures were initially announced on April 23, following the Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. In response to the attack, India conducted precision strikes on nine terror infrastructures on May 7. Subsequently, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. India retaliated strongly, inflicting significant damage on key Pakistani military installations, including air bases, air defense systems, command and control centers, and radar sites.
On May 10, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that India and Pakistan had reached an understanding to immediately cease all firings and military actions across land, air, and sea.
