India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, made the remarks on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, during the High-Level Open Debate of the United Nations Security Council on “Natural Resources Governance: the Foundation of Peace, Security and Prosperity.”
Exercising India’s right of reply, Ambassador Harish said New Delhi was compelled to respond after Pakistan allegedly misused the discussion platform to promote a false narrative.
“Our position on the Indus Water Treaty remains clear and consistent. Cooperation on the basis of mutual trust and goodwill cannot be expected when cross-border terrorism is regularly deployed as an instrument of state policy,” Ambassador Harish said.
India’s response came after Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, accused India of “weaponising water” by placing the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. Pakistan described the move as illegal and claimed it posed a threat to the livelihoods of more than 240 million Pakistanis.
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, is a World Bank-brokered agreement between India and Pakistan that regulates the sharing of waters from six rivers of the Indus basin. Under the agreement, the eastern rivers were allocated to India, while the western rivers were largely assigned to Pakistan.
India placed the treaty in abeyance following the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, stating that cooperation under the agreement could not continue in the presence of cross-border terrorism.
Addressing the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Harish said, “As for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, it has always been, is, and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India. This is the constitutional and legal reality that Pakistan deliberately chooses to ignore.”
“The only outstanding issue with regard to Jammu and Kashmir is the naked aggression and illegal occupation of India’s sovereign territory by Pakistan. Instead of pointing fingers at India, Pakistan would serve itself and its people far better by putting its own house in order,” he added.
During his address at the Security Council debate, Ambassador Harish highlighted the broader challenges linked to natural resource governance. He stated that the illicit exploitation and trafficking of natural resources can, in certain situations, contribute to the financing of armed groups and prolong conflicts.
However, he emphasized that natural resources should primarily function as engines of development and prosperity for sovereign nations.
The Indian envoy further underlined that the primary responsibility for the governance and management of natural resources rests with sovereign states. He called for transparent, accountable and nationally owned governance systems, along with responsible supply chains, increased transparency and stronger international cooperation to prevent the illicit exploitation of natural resources.
India’s firm response at the United Nations highlights its position that resource-sharing agreements require an environment of trust, stability and security. New Delhi maintained that combating terrorism remains central to ensuring meaningful cooperation on issues involving shared natural resources and regional peace.
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