'Don't use water as a weapon': Shehbaz Sharif renews Pakistan's Indus Waters Treaty gripe at SCO Summit

For a region sustained by shared rivers, water took centre stage at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on Tuesday as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif renewed Pakistan’s long-standing objections over the Indus Waters Treaty, calling water the region’s “lifeblood” and saying it must never be used for “political leverage”. He said shared water resources sustain millions of lives, support agriculture and are crucial to the future of coming generations.

Sharif’s remarks came a day after India rejected a ruling by the Hague-based Court of Arbitration that the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty remains legally binding and that the dispute-resolution mechanism under the pact can continue to examine disagreements between India and Pakistan. His intervention also followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the summit, where India put terrorism at the centre of its message to SCO member states.

Sharif raises Indus Waters Treaty at SCO

Addressing the SCO Council of Heads of State, Sharif said, “Water will not be allowed to be used as a weapon,” and argued that shared water resources must not be turned into an instrument of coercion or political leverage. “The treaties governing our shared waters are solemn binding international commitments. They are not matters of political conveniences to be cast aside at your will. They must be honoured unconditionally in both letter and spirit,” he said.

Sharif also linked the water dispute to the broader question of regional peace, saying South Asia could not realise its full potential without lasting peace. He stressed the need for diplomacy and regional cooperation in managing shared water resources.

India rejects Hague court ruling

The latest exchange has added to tensions over the Indus Waters Treaty, which has been in abeyance since India decided to suspend its operation following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. The Hague-based Court of Arbitration has ruled that the treaty remains legally binding and that the dispute-resolution mechanism established under it can continue to examine disputes between the two countries.

India has rejected the ruling, saying it neither recognised the Court of Arbitration nor participated in its proceedings and does not accept its jurisdiction. The Ministry of External Affairs has described the tribunal as an “illegally constituted” body, arguing that it was created in violation of the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty. New Delhi has also said the court has “no jurisdiction whatsoever” over India’s sovereign decisions and that the tribunal’s present or future pronouncements will have no bearing on India’s actions concerning hydroelectric projects. India has further made clear that its decision to keep the treaty in abeyance remains in force.

Modi puts focus on terrorism

Before Sharif’s remarks, Modi used his address at the SCO summit to call for action against the full ecosystem that supports terrorism, including terror financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens. “Terrorism continues to pose a serious challenge to humanity as a whole. In the fight against terrorism, we cannot remain confined to an action-reaction approach,” he said.

He also warned against “double standards” and said countries that provide shelter or support to terrorists must face a strong international response. “We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation, and safe havens. We must speak with one voice and make it clear that there can be no place for double standards on this serious issue,” Modi said.

“We must send a strong message to countries that use terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide safe haven and support to terrorists that terrorism can never be a strategic asset for anyone,” he added. Modi also said the SCO represents a confluence of great civilisations, cultures and ideas, and outlined three pillars of India’s vision for the grouping: security, connectivity and opportunity.

The summit thus saw India and Pakistan press their core positions on two separate but sensitive issues, with Sharif focusing on the Indus Waters Treaty and regional peace, and Modi urging a united stand against terrorism and its support systems.