Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, leading a multiparty delegation to Colombia, delivered a strong statement on Thursday, accusing Pakistan of betraying India’s goodwill under the Indus Waters Treaty through sustained acts of terrorism. Speaking in Bogota, Tharoor asserted that the treaty, conceived in the early 1960s with the intention of promoting peace, has continued despite decades of violence emanating from across the border—but not without consequence.
"The Indus Waters Treaty was offered by India to Pakistan in the early 1960s in a spirit of goodwill and harmony. Those words occur in the preamble of the treaty; sadly, that goodwill has been repeatedly betrayed by the terrorist actions of the last four decades," Tharoor said.
He noted that although India has abided by the treaty even during times of war and terror attacks, the current Indian government has now placed the agreement in abeyance—a diplomatic signal that cooperation will only resume if Pakistan demonstrates genuine intent to uphold the treaty’s founding principles.
"Even though we have had terrorism and war inflicted on us, the treaty has remained in place, but this time our government has placed the treaty in abeyance... until we get satisfactory indication from Pakistan that they're prepared to conduct themselves in that spirit of goodwill."
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 under World Bank mediation, allocates control of six rivers between India and Pakistan. While it has survived armed conflicts and prolonged diplomatic standoffs, Tharoor’s comments reflect growing frustration in India over what it sees as Pakistan’s failure to act against terrorism.
Reinforcing India’s firm stance, Tharoor referred to the recent Pahalgam terror attack and the retaliatory Operation Sindoor conducted by Indian forces.
"India suffered a grievous terrorist attack on the 22nd of April... India decided that this kind of outrage could not go unpunished. On May 7, India chose to strike against known terror bases and launch pads," he said.
Tharoor also highlighted what he termed as open support for terrorism within Pakistan’s establishment.
"There (in Pakistan) was a well-publicised funeral of one of the terrorists on the sanctions list. That funeral was attended by uniformed senior military and police personnel from Pakistan," he noted, calling it a "clear display of complicity" between the state and terror networks.
In a pointed diplomatic rebuke, Tharoor expressed displeasure over Colombia’s response to the Indian strikes, criticizing their focus on casualties in Pakistan without acknowledging India’s loss.
"We were a little disappointed in the reaction of the Colombian government, which apparently expressed heartfelt condolences on the loss of lives in Pakistan after the Indian strikes, rather than sympathising with the victims of terrorism," he remarked.
