NEW DELHI, May 22: India on Thursday reiterated its uncompromising stance on terrorism and bilateral engagement with Pakistan, firmly stating that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) will remain in abeyance until Islamabad “credibly and irrevocably abjures” its support for cross-border terrorism.
“Any India-Pakistan engagement has to be bilateral. At the same time, I would like to remind you that talks and terror don’t go together,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a weekly media briefing.
Jaiswal emphasized that India is open to discussing the extradition of terrorists whose names were provided to Pakistan years ago. “On terrorism itself, as I had said earlier, we are open to discussing the handing over to India of noted terrorists whose list was given to Pakistan some years ago,” he said.
Reasserting India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir, the MEA made it clear that any bilateral discussions would solely concern Pakistan vacating territories it illegally occupies. “I would also like to underline that any bilateral discussion on Jammu and Kashmir will only be on the vacation of illegally-occupied Indian territory by Pakistan,” Jaiswal said.
He reaffirmed that the IWT, signed in 1960, will remain suspended as long as Pakistan supports terrorism. “As our Prime Minister has said, water and blood cannot flow together, trade and terror also cannot go together,” Jaiswal added.
India’s remarks came just hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif proposed Saudi Arabia as a neutral venue for talks between the two nations, suggesting that the United States could act as a mediator.
Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Sharif indicated that if talks were to be held, they would take place at the level of National Security Advisors (NSAs). He stated the proposed agenda would include issues of Kashmir, water, terrorism, and trade.
“Tensions between India and Pakistan are de-escalating in phases since the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) on both sides started engaging with each other,” said Sharif.
He added, “If talks were held between the two arch-rivals, the National Security Advisor will lead Pakistan’s side in the process. Saudi Arabia can be a neutral venue with the US leading mediations. But India has not agreed to any neutral venue for talks till now.”
Sharif reiterated that the four key discussion points would be Kashmir, water, trade, and terrorism.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s unwavering position during a public rally in Rajasthan’s Bikaner. He said that no talks or trade will take place with Pakistan unless it relinquishes its illegal occupation of Kashmir and ceases to support terrorism.
“If there is to be any talk, it will be on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). If Pakistan continues to export terrorists, it will be left begging for every penny. It will not get a single drop of Indian water,” PM Modi said.
He concluded with a stern warning: “Playing with the blood of Indians will cost Pakistan dearly.”
