Bharat Strikes Back: Water Diplomacy in Action

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praised India's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty following a terror attack in Pahalgam. This move marks a 'new era of assertive diplomacy', affecting Pakistan's agriculture, energy, and urban water supply, aligning water security with national security.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has endorsed India's recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty after a devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. Sarma describes this decision as heralding a 'new era of assertive diplomacy' where water security is tightly intertwined with national security.

In response to the attack, India has not only downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan but also taken several stringent measures, including the expulsion of Pakistani military attaches and closing the Attari land-transit post. These actions follow India's six-decade-long commitment to the Indus Waters Treaty, which it has now suspended to assert that cooperation cannot persist with a state allegedly supporting terrorism.

Sarma highlighted the potential impacts on Pakistan, predicting reductions in crop yields and power generation, along with aggravated urban water shortages. The Chief Minister emphasized that this strategic action aims to compel Pakistan to address cross-border terrorism, underscoring a shift towards a more assertive Indian diplomacy.

(With inputs from agencies.)