New Delhi – External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday firmly reiterated India’s position on Kashmir, stating that the only matter left to be discussed is Pakistan vacating the areas of Jammu and Kashmir that are under its illegal occupation, namely Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Speaking to reporters at the inauguration of the Embassy of Honduras in New Delhi, Jaishankar emphasized that the Kashmir issue is strictly a bilateral matter and not open to international mediation. “Sometimes the Kashmir issue is raised again. Let me be clear — the only discussion left on Kashmir is regarding Pakistan vacating the illegally occupied territory in PoK. We are open to discussing that with Pakistan,” he said.
Jaishankar underscored that dialogue with Pakistan will center solely around counter-terrorism. “Our position has remained consistent — talks with Pakistan will be only on the issue of terrorism. Pakistan knows what needs to be done. They have a list of terrorists to act upon and must dismantle the terror infrastructure,” he added.
He further clarified that India’s engagement with Pakistan will remain bilateral and will not involve any third party. “This is a national consensus and there is absolutely no change in that,” Jaishankar said.
On the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the minister said that the agreement — which has survived decades of conflict — is now on hold, following Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism. “The Cabinet Committee on Security has clearly decided to suspend the implementation of the treaty until Pakistan credibly and irreversibly stops supporting terrorism,” he said.
Signed in 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, the Indus Waters Treaty governs the sharing of rivers between India and Pakistan. While India controls the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej), Pakistan has access to the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab), with limited rights granted to India for non-consumptive use.
Jaishankar linked the suspension of the treaty to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, after which India launched Operation Sindoor during the night of May 6–7, targeting nine terror launchpads in Pakistan and PoK. He noted that India’s response was in line with the UN Security Council resolution that called for the perpetrators of the attack to be held accountable.
“We received a lot of international support after the attack. Many ministers and leaders reached out. Based on the UN resolution, we acted on May 7 to hold the perpetrators accountable through Operation Sindoor,” Jaishankar said.
He also expressed gratitude to Honduras for condemning the April 22 attack and offering support. “It’s heartening to see growing political support from countries like Honduras, which strongly condemned the terror attack,” he said.
Echoing Jaishankar’s remarks, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated during a press briefing on May 13 that the Indus Waters Treaty has been suspended in light of Pakistan’s actions.
“The treaty was signed in a spirit of goodwill. But Pakistan has violated those principles by supporting cross-border terrorism for decades. Now, as per the Cabinet decision on April 23, the treaty will remain suspended until Pakistan takes credible, irreversible steps to end this support,” Jaiswal said.
He also pointed out that climate change, demographic shifts, and technological advances have altered the water-sharing landscape, further justifying a reassessment of the treaty.
In summary, India’s position remains resolute: Kashmir is an internal matter, Pakistan must vacate PoK, counter-terrorism is the only viable topic for dialogue, and longstanding treaties like the IWT cannot continue under the shadow of terrorism.
