India Rejects Pakistan Flood Allegations, Says Chenab Surge Was Caused by Heavy Monsoon Rainfall

India rejects Pakistan's allegations of deliberately causing Chenab River floods, stating that heavy monsoon rainfall in Jammu and adjoining catchment areas caused the surge. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also addressed flood data sharing, the Indus Waters Treaty, and sovereignty issues involving China and Pakistan.

India on Friday rejected allegations that it deliberately caused flooding in Pakistan, describing the claims as "baseless and contrary to the facts". The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the rise in the Chenab River's water flow was a natural consequence of intense monsoon rainfall and not due to any action by New Delhi.

Responding to reports in Pakistani media alleging that India was responsible for the flooding, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the accusations lacked factual basis. He stated that the increased flow in the Chenab River was directly linked to heavy monsoon rainfall over Jammu and adjoining catchment areas between July 20 and July 23, 2026.

Jaiswal highlighted that Pakistan's own Flood Forecasting Division in Lahore had attributed the high flood levels in the Chenab River to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas. According to the MEA, Pakistan's flood advisory issued on July 22 stated that high flows at Marala were expected to continue before gradually decreasing as rainfall over the catchment region reduced.

"The rise in river flows is, therefore, a natural hydrological response to heavy monsoon rainfall and not the result of any deliberate action by India," Jaiswal said.

Rejecting attempts to link the flooding with any Indian intervention, the MEA spokesperson said portraying a weather-driven flood event as an upstream action was factually incorrect, technically untenable, and contradicted by Pakistan's own official flood advisories.

The MEA also dismissed allegations that India failed to provide flood-related warnings to Pakistan. Jaiswal said the river flows during the period did not reach extraordinary discharge levels that would have required special flood warnings. He added that the observed water levels were consistent with prevailing monsoon conditions in the upper catchment regions, a situation that was also acknowledged by Pakistan's flood forecasting authorities.

"Any suggestion that India deliberately withheld flood-related information is, therefore, without factual basis," Jaiswal said.

However, India stated that it would continue sharing high-flood data with Pakistan on humanitarian grounds whenever required. Jaiswal said that, similar to last year, India would provide such information through diplomatic channels whenever a situation arises.

Addressing Pakistan's remarks on the Indus Waters Treaty at the ASEAN forum, Jaiswal reiterated India's position that the agreement remains in abeyance until Pakistan "irrevocably and credibly abjures its support for cross-border terrorism". He said Pakistan had used the ASEAN forum to raise certain issues, which India had categorically rejected through an official press statement.

On matters related to China and sovereignty concerns, Jaiswal referred to the remarks of the External Affairs Minister, stating that India does not violate China's sovereignty. He said China has been in "illegal occupation of Indian territories in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh since 1963" and added that India objects to Chinese projects being carried out in territories of Jammu and Kashmir that New Delhi considers its own.

The diplomatic exchange over the Chenab River flooding highlights continuing tensions between India and Pakistan over water-related issues, while New Delhi maintained that flood conditions were driven by natural monsoon patterns and reaffirmed its commitment to sharing critical flood information on humanitarian grounds.