Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday strongly hinted at India placing the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, declaring that water “which rightfully belonged to India” will now be used for the country’s benefit. His comments come amid heightened tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people last month.
“Earlier, even the water which rightfully belonged to India went outside the country. Now India’s water will flow for the country’s interest and will be useful for it,” Modi said at the ABP Network’s India@2047 Summit, in what appeared to be a veiled reference to suspending provisions of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty as a countermeasure.
The Prime Minister said that bold reforms and major decisions are possible only when national interest is placed above political calculations or international perception. “There was a time when decisions were delayed thinking ‘what will the world say?’ or ‘will we get votes?’ This counterstream held India back,” he said.
Modi used the platform to unveil a “broader vision of development”, claiming India is shifting from a “GDP-centric” model to one based on the “Gross Empowerment of People (GEP).” He added, “When people look at India today, they proudly say: democracy can deliver.”
The Prime Minister also mentioned ongoing efforts to interlink rivers, calling water “a subject of intense discussion in the media lately.” His remarks further underline the Centre’s increasing emphasis on water management and river-based national infrastructure, especially in the context of strained ties with Pakistan.
Modi defended recent amendments to the Waqf law, saying past governments avoided changes to please their vote bank. “This noble work was defamed for vote bank politics. But now these reforms will genuinely benefit poor Muslim mothers, sisters, and Pasmanda Muslims,” he said.
Modi said his government’s is ambitious to make India a developed nation by 2047, marking the centenary of independence. “The country has the capabilities, resources, and the willpower,” he said, framing it as the “biggest dream” of today’s India.
Modi also called the finalization of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement a “historic day,” saying it will open new avenues for Indian businesses, especially MSMEs. “India is not only carrying out reforms, but is also becoming a vibrant hub of global trade,” he said.
