'India's water that once flowed out will now be used for country': PM Modi amid Indus treaty move

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday signalled a decisive shift in India's water policy, saying that the country's water resources will now be used solely in the national interest and "will no longer flow outside."

His remarks, delivered at a public event, came days after the government put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.

"Pahle Bharat ke haq ka pani bhi bahar ja raha tha. Ab Bharat ka pani Bharat ke haq mein bahega. Bharat ke haq mein rukega. Aur Bharat ke hee kaam aayega," PM Modi said in Hindi, which loosely translates to: “Earlier, even the water that rightfully belonged to India was flowing out. Now, India’s water will stay for India’s benefit and be used for our people.”

While he refrained from naming Pakistan directly, the comments were widely seen as a veiled reference to the neighbouring country amid heightened bilateral tensions.

The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of river interlinking, mentioning that water used to be a source of inter-state disputes but is now being viewed as a tool for national unity and development.