'Talks suspended till ... ': India rejects Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s call for dialogue on Indus Waters Treaty, terror, Kashmir

NEW DELHI: India on Thursday once again reiterated that dialogue with Pakistan will not resume until Islamabad takes concrete and effective action against terrorism. Regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, which was suspended following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, India said that the treaty will remain on hold until Pakistan "irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism."

"As far as our engagement with Pakistan is concerned, our stand has been clear. Any engagement has to be bilateral. We would like to reiterate that terrorism and talks cannot go together. They need to hand over to India, noted terrorists, whose records and list we submitted to them some years ago. Talks on J&K will be held only on the vacating of PoK and when Pakistan hands over the territory to us," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly press briefing.

"As far as the Indus Water Treaty is concerned, it will remain in abeyance till the time Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support to cross-border terrorism. Just like PM Narendra Modi says, terror and talks cannot go together, terror and trade cannot go together, and water and blood cannot flow together," Jaiswal added.

Willing for promotion of trade with India: Pakistan PM

The MEA's strong rebuke came a day after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed Islamabad's readiness to engage in talks with India on the Kashmir dispute and counterterrorism.


“There cannot be a bigger commitment and intention to beat this menace (terrorism) for all times to come, and in that, if India wants in all sincerity honest cooperation, Pakistan would be willing, along with the promotion of trade with India. All these issues need to be discussed on the table,” he said.

“I think this is most unfortunate that India tried to threaten to stop our flow of water to Pakistan. This is not possible, was never possible, and will not be possible, God-willing. We are making proper arrangements to ensure that India never ever does it,” the Pakistani PM said.

In the early hours of May 7, India had launched precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. The government had vowed harsh retribution, and over 100 terrorists were eliminated in 'Operation Sindoor'.

Following the strikes, the Indian Armed Forces successfully repelled Pakistan’s retaliatory military aggression, targeting several of its airbases. Subsequently, both nations agreed to cease military actions and firing after the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan reached out to his Indian counterpart.

In the immediate aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 until Pakistan verifiably renounces its support for cross-border terrorism.

The Treaty had allocated the waters of the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers—around 33 million acre feet (MAF)—to India for exclusive use. Pakistan received the waters of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab, averaging 135 MAF, except for certain limited uses allowed for India.

India has also developed hydroelectric projects on Western rivers, within treaty limits. Major dams like Bhakra, Pong, Pandoh, and Thein, along with infrastructure such as the Beas-Sutlej and Madhopur-Beas links, enable full utilisation of Eastern river waters.