Shehbaz Sharif Warns India Over Indus Waters, Says 'Every Single Drop' Is Pakistan's Red Line | VIDEO

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday warned India against taking any action that could affect Pakistan’s share of water under the Indus Waters Treaty, declaring that “every single drop” of Pakistan’s water is a red line.

Sharif made the remarks while addressing the inauguration of the Yadgar-e-Fatah (Victory Monument) in Islamabad, a day before Pakistan’s Independence Day. The monument commemorates what Pakistan describes as its victory in the May 2025 conflict with India, which it refers to as Marka-e-Haq.

Sharif said Pakistan wanted peace but warned that this should not be interpreted as weakness.

“If India does not come to its senses and does not remain on the right track, it will be responded to directly,” he said, according to Pakistani media reports.

Sharif Warns of Stronger Response

Sharif also said Pakistan would respond forcefully to any challenge to its sovereignty or national security.

Referring to the May 2025 military confrontation, he claimed that Pakistan had demonstrated its ability to defend itself and warned that any future escalation could draw an even stronger response.

He accused India of becoming an “enemy of peace” and alleged that New Delhi had unilaterally and illegally placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following what he described as India’s defeat in the 2025 conflict.

India has rejected Pakistan’s characterisation of the issue and has maintained its position on the treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack.

What Is the Indus Waters Treaty?

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was brokered by the World Bank and signed by India and Pakistan in 1960. Under the agreement, the three eastern rivers Ravi, Beas and Sutlej were allocated primarily to India, while the three western rivers Indus, Jhelum and Chenab were allocated primarily to Pakistan, subject to specified rights and uses by both countries.

The treaty has survived decades of conflict between the two neighbours and has traditionally been regarded as one of the most durable examples of India-Pakistan cooperation.

Pakistan is heavily dependent on the western rivers for its agricultural and irrigation needs, making any disruption to their flow a particularly sensitive issue for Islamabad.

Why India Put the Treaty in Abeyance

India announced in April 2025 that it was placing the treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed.

New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based or Pakistan-backed terrorists for the attack and announced a series of measures against Islamabad, including its decision concerning the Indus Waters Treaty.

India has also stopped sharing certain hydrological data with Pakistan.

Islamabad has rejected the move, insisting that India cannot unilaterally suspend the treaty and arguing that the agreement remains legally binding.

Water Dispute Adds to India-Pakistan Tensions

Sharif’s latest warning comes against the backdrop of continuing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Water has increasingly emerged as a major point of friction since India announced its decision concerning the treaty. Pakistan has repeatedly warned that any attempt to restrict or alter water flows would have serious consequences, while India has defended its actions in the context of national security following the Pahalgam attack.

Sharif’s remarks on Thursday therefore add a fresh layer to the already tense relationship between the two countries.

No Immediate Indian Response

There was no immediate detailed response from the Indian government to Sharif’s latest remarks in the initial reports.

While Pakistani media presented the prime minister’s statement as a firm defence of the country’s water rights, Indian coverage largely characterised it as another warning from Islamabad amid the continuing dispute over the treaty.

With the Indus Waters Treaty already at the centre of a major diplomatic and legal dispute, Sharif’s declaration that “every single drop” is a red line signals that water security will remain one of the most sensitive issues in India-Pakistan relations.