Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again warned India against any move that could affect Islamabad’s water rights under the Indus Waters Treaty, declaring that “every single drop” of Pakistan’s water is a red line.
Addressing an event in Islamabad on Thursday, Sharif said Pakistan wanted peace but would respond strongly to any challenge to its sovereignty. He also claimed that Pakistan had “defeated” India during the May 2025 conflict and warned that any future confrontation would draw an even stronger response.
Sharif’s remarks come amid continuing tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over Kashmir, water-sharing arrangements and the aftermath of the May 2025 military confrontation.
The Pakistan prime minister also praised US President Donald Trump for his role in facilitating the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May 2025.
Trump announced on May 10, 2025, that India and Pakistan had agreed to an “immediate ceasefire” following diplomatic engagement. Sharif later thanked Trump for what he described as his “leadership and proactive role”, while expressing appreciation for Washington’s efforts.
India, however, has consistently maintained that the ceasefire was reached through direct communication between the two countries. New Delhi has rejected the suggestion that the agreement resulted from third-party mediation.
Sharif also reiterated Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, linking the issue to Islamabad’s broader tensions with New Delhi. His comments again brought the Indus Waters Treaty into focus as a major source of friction between the two neighbours.
Warning against any attempt to restrict Pakistan’s water supplies, Sharif said Islamabad would not accept action that deprived the country of its water. The treaty has remained under intense scrutiny since India announced in April 2025 that it was holding the agreement in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Pakistan has continued to argue that the treaty remains legally binding and has repeatedly raised the matter at international forums.
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed by India and Pakistan, governs the sharing of the six rivers forming the Indus Basin. Under the arrangement, India has rights over the three eastern rivers, the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi.
Pakistan was allocated rights over the three western rivers, the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. The treaty has historically been viewed as one of the key agreements governing water relations between the two countries, even during periods of heightened political and military tensions.
Sharif’s latest warning underscores the extent to which water has become intertwined with the wider India-Pakistan dispute, particularly amid continuing disagreements over Kashmir and the status of the treaty.
