NEW DELHI, JAN 29 : In a significant strategic move, President Droupadi Murmu announced that India has “kept in abeyance” the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, linking the decision directly to New Delhi’s campaign against cross-border terrorism.
Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament at the start of the Budget Session 2026-27, the President as per news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) framed the suspension of the 1960 water-sharing pact as a critical component of India’s national security response.
“The Indus Waters Treaty has been kept in abeyance, and this is a part of our fight against terrorism,” Murmu stated.
The declaration explicitly positions the future of the treaty, brokered by the World Bank, within India’s security framework, suggesting its revival is contingent upon Pakistan ending terror activities originating from its territory.
“My government has given a strong message that the response to all attacks on India will be strong and decisive,” Murmu asserted, outlining a policy of zero tolerance.
The President contextualised the move alongside the recent military action in ‘Operation Sindoor’, highlighting the treaty’s suspension as a pivotal non-military instrument in India’s counter-terror arsenal.
Invoking the spirit of resilience, she quoted Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji: “We should neither scare someone nor be scared of someone,” underscoring the government’s firm resolve. (KNS)

