India, July 6 -- Once cited as one of the world's most stable bilateral water-sharing agreements, the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan, has become a prickly issue in the aftermath of Pakistan's relentless military and insurgent escalations against India, particularly in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Facilitated by the World Bank, the treaty has survived multiple wars and prolonged political tensions. New Delhi finally decided to place the treaty "in abeyance" in April 2025, after Pakistan-supported terrorists carried out a deadly attacks against unsuspecting tourists in Pahalgam. Islamabad, predictably, rejected the allegation. Maintaining that the treaty remains legally binding for India, Pakistani leaders have been raising the issue in strongly worded public warnings. By terming India's actions as the "weaponisation of water," Pakistan aims to paint India as an unethical aggressor. Not only that, there are unsubtle threats issued by the Pakistani establishment as a consequence of India's actions. Recently, Pakistan's foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said that depriving Pakistan of its treaty-allocated waters could lead to regional insecurity. Similarly, other senior Pakistani figures, including climate change minister Musadik Malik and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, have issued direct warnings to India against altering river flows. Pakistan's double game is clear through such statements and diplomatic efforts to internationalise the issue. By describing the Indus River system as their country's economic lifeline, Islamabad seeks to lay the blame for its failure in checking the downward spiral of the country's economic health at India's doorstep. At the same time, it is seeking to internationalise the larger Kashmir issue. India has reiterated its unchanged position. On July 3, the ministry of external affairs clearly stated that the treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably" ceases to lend support for cross-border terrorism in India. Pakistan's civilian establishment's belligerent statements on the issue, ably aided by army chief Asim Munir, have been rejected by New Delhi as Islamabad's habitual attempts to internationalise any dispute on its terms. Pakistan relies heavily on the Indus River system for irrigation, drinking water, and hydroelectric power. Since India's decision to keep the treaty in abeyance has only come after Pakistan's repeated acts of terror and undermining of territorial and demographic integrity, New Delhi cannot be expected to continue making concessions. Islamabad has to understand that its State and non-State actors must refrain from actions that raise India's security concerns....