India slams Pakistan at UN, cites 20,000 terror deaths to justify Indus Waters Treaty suspension

India strongly rebutted Pakistan’s criticism at the United Nations on Saturday, defending its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 civilians dead. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, accused Pakistan of state-sponsored terrorism and said over 20,000 Indian lives have been lost in terror attacks over the last four decades.

Harish described Pakistan as the “global epicentre of terror” and said the 65-year-old treaty cannot continue while Pakistan supports cross-border terrorism. He highlighted that India signed the IWT in good faith, but in return faced wars and terror strikes. “India has shown extraordinary patience and magnanimity,” he said, but that goodwill has been consistently undermined by Pakistan’s actions.

The ambassador also addressed growing security and environmental challenges, noting that demands for clean energy and dam safety have increased. Yet, Pakistan has repeatedly blocked India’s efforts to modernise and adapt its dam infrastructure under the treaty, even when safety concerns were raised.

India had formally requested treaty modifications multiple times over the past two years, but Pakistan refused to engage, Harish said. He accused Islamabad of cynically endangering civilian safety and obstructing India’s legitimate rights under the agreement.

India’s stance at the UN comes amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack, which New Delhi has linked to Pakistan-based militants. Officials have made clear that any future cooperation on the Indus treaty will depend on Pakistan ending its terror support.