India has ruled out restoring the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, according to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In an interview with The Times of India, Shah stated that the water currently flowing to Pakistan under the 1960 agreement will be diverted for domestic use, particularly in Rajasthan. This decision comes after India suspended its participation in the treaty following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which k**led 26 civilians .
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, governs the distribution of water from the Indus river system between India and Pakistan. The treaty guarantees Pakistan's access to water for around 80% of its agricultural land through three rivers originating in India. However, Amit Shah emphasized that India will not restore the treaty, asserting that Pakistan has violated the core principles of the agreement .
The Indian government plans to construct a canal to redirect the water currently flowing to Pakistan to Rajasthan. This move is expected to have significant implications for Pakistan's agriculture, which heavily relies on the waters guaranteed by the treaty. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has welcomed the decision, stating that it will mean more water for his state .