'India's position on Indus Waters Treaty consistent': MEA after Pakistan's 'warnings'

India on Friday slammed Pakistan for its support to cross-border terrorism and condemned its airstrikes into Afghanistan, in which several civilian lives, including women and children, were lost.

Responding to a query while addressing a press conference here in the national capital on Friday. Jaiswal said that India's stance on the Indus Water Treaty remains unchanged.

"India's position on the Indus Waters Treaty is consistent. IWT stands in abeyance in response to Pakistan's continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. Pakistan must credibly and irrevocably abjure its support for cross-border terrorism," the MEA spokesperson stated.

The MEA's reaction comes after a Pakistan minister early this week issued a stark warning to India over the treaty and said Islamabad would “cut off those hands” that he claimed sought to control the Indus water.

“There is a tap being controlled by the prime minister of a neighbouring country. He says he will not let even a drop of water flow into Pakistan,” Pakistan's climate change minister Musadik Malik said, according to Pakistani news paper Dawn.

Indus Water Treaty in abeyance

India officially placed the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in "abeyance" following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India has maintained that the 1960 water-sharing agreement will remain suspended until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably ends its support for cross-border terrorism.

Prior to Malik's stark statement, Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar warned of a war over the treaty that remains suspended following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025. Dar said that any attempt by India to deprive Pakistan of its share of water under the Indus Waters Treaty would amount to the “weaponization of water” and could have serious consequences for regional peace and security, AP reported.

During the press briefing today, when asked about Pakistani military strikes in Afghanistan and whether India is extending support to the government of Afghanistan, the MEA Spokesperson underlined that India supports the territorial integrity of Afghanistan and has an ongoing humanitarian assistance cooperation with the country.

"We had strongly condemned the airstrikes that happened from Pakistan into Afghanistan, in which several civilian lives, including women and children, were lost. We had offered our condolences on the passing away of precious lives, and we had also, at the same time, reiterated our strong support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Afghanistan" Jaiswal said.

He added, "We have an ongoing humanitarian assistance cooperation. We have been sending them medicines... and also been offering development projects which can bring benefit to the lives of people there."

Pakistan had conducted cross-border military strikes in the eastern provinces of Afghanistan in Paktia, Paktika and Kunar, resulting in significant civilian casualties and widespread devastation.

The deputy spokesperson of the Taliban-led Afghan government, Hamdullah Fitrat, detailed the civilian toll in a post on social media, stating, "According to the reports available thus far, the attacks carried out last night resulted in the martyrdom of 36 civilians, including women and children, while 163 others sustained injuries. Three residential houses were completely destroyed."

(With ANI inputs)