India on Friday categorically rejected Pakistan’s allegations that it deliberately caused flooding across the border, calling the claims “baseless and contrary to facts.” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the recent increase in water levels in the Chenab river was solely due to intense monsoon rainfall in Jammu and adjoining catchment areas.
Addressing a media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed reports in the Pakistani media alleging that India had intentionally released excess water into Pakistan. He said the higher river flows recorded between July 20 and 23 were a natural consequence of heavy rainfall and not the result of any upstream intervention by India.
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Jaiswal noted that Pakistan’s own Flood Forecasting Division in Lahore had attributed the rise in the Chenab’s water level to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas. He said Pakistan’s advisory issued on July 22 had also projected that water levels at Marala would gradually recede as rainfall subsided.
The MEA further rejected claims that India had failed to provide advance flood warnings, stating that river discharge during the period did not reach levels requiring special flood alerts. According to India, the flow remained within the range of normal monsoon conditions acknowledged by Pakistan’s own forecasting authorities.
The exchange comes amid renewed tensions over the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). A day earlier, Pakistan raised the treaty and the Kashmir issue at the ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila, urging that the water-sharing agreement be restored through dialogue.
Responding to those remarks, India criticised Pakistan for raising bilateral issues at a multilateral forum and reaffirmed that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh remain integral parts of India. New Delhi also maintained that the Indus Waters Treaty will continue to remain in abeyance following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, while reiterating that humanitarian flood-related data sharing with Pakistan will continue whenever necessary.
