'India's water belongs to Indians, won't be shared anymore'; PM Modi's first response on putting IWT in abeyance

NEW DELHI: As the first step of diplomatic retaliation against the Pahalgam terror attack, India had put the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in abeyance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the first time, has now responded to the issue.

PM MODI:

“The water from India used to flow to other countries. It won’t happen again. India's water is for Indians. For decades, water in our rivers has been a source of conflict. To resolve this, a project to link rivers is underway in collaboration with state governments. The project will benefit millions of farmers.

In 2014, when the government was formed under my leadership, some doubted whether democracy and development could go in tandem. The significant development achievements, including lifting 250 million people out of poverty in the last decade, are the greatest message that democracy can give”

Pakistan has described India's decision to scrap the Indus Water Treaty as a declaration of war. The water received from India as part of the IWT pact was vital for Pakistan's agricultural and energy needs.