Tharoor in Colombia: Indus Treaty Suspended Due to Pakistan’s Terror Complicity, India Exercising Self-Defence

Bogota (Colombia), May 30, 2025: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, leading a multiparty Indian delegation in Colombia, declared that the Indus Waters Treaty has been placed in abeyance by the Indian government as a justified response to Pakistan’s sustained betrayal of goodwill through cross-border terrorism.

Speaking in Bogota, Tharoor stated that the 1960 treaty, originally framed in a “spirit of goodwill and harmony,” has been persistently violated in essence due to Pakistan’s state-sponsored terrorism over the last four decades. “India, despite being an upper riparian state, has adhered to the treaty’s terms with generosity. But the time for unilateral goodwill has ended,” he said.

Tharoor emphasized that India’s decision to suspend the treaty is not a withdrawal, but a firm assertion of its right to self-defence. “We’ve had terrorism and wars inflicted on us, but this time our government chose to act. The treaty’s operations are now suspended until Pakistan demonstrates genuine goodwill as prescribed in the treaty’s preamble,” he added.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, governs water sharing between India and Pakistan and has so far survived wars and political turmoil. However, the recent Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 people has reshaped the diplomatic terrain. India responded with precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting terror bases in Pakistan and PoK on May 7.

Highlighting Pakistan’s inaction, Tharoor criticized its failure to arrest or prosecute the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack. “One of the terrorists, on a UN sanctions list, was given a public funeral in Pakistan, attended by uniformed senior military and police personnel. That shows the extent of complicity,” he said.

Tharoor also voiced displeasure over Colombia’s diplomatic response, which extended condolences to Pakistan post-strikes without acknowledging India’s loss. “We were disappointed that the Colombian government expressed heartfelt condolences to Pakistan instead of condemning the terrorist attack or expressing solidarity with the Indian victims,” he said.

The delegation includes MPs from various parties including BJP, Shiv Sena, Lok Janshakti Party, Telugu Desam Party, JMM, and diplomatic veteran Taranjit Singh Sandhu. This outreach is part of India’s broader post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic campaign to build international consensus against terrorism and expose Pakistan’s duplicity.