India Categorically Rejects Pakistan’s Remarks at ASEAN Forum; Holds Indus Waters Treaty in Abeyance

New Delhi: India criticised Pakistan for exploiting a multilateral platform to spread “baseless and unwarranted” comments on Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), accusing Islamabad of using religious terminology to advance its propaganda and deflect from its internal crises and support for terrorism.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, addressing a press conference, categorically rejected the assertions made by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting in Manila.

“India categorically rejects the baseless and unwarranted comments made by the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan,” Jaiswal stated. He highlighted that Pakistan had once again “cynically exploited” a multilateral forum to amplify falsehoods and peddle state-sponsored disinformation.

Firm Stance on Kashmir and Indus Waters Treaty

Reaffirming India’s longstanding position, the MEA emphasised that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India.” Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on the matter, the spokesperson added.

On the Indus Waters Treaty, India made its position crystal clear: the treaty remains in abeyance due to Pakistan’s continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism, including the recent Pahalgam attack. “IWT will continue to be held in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism,” Jaiswal said.

Criticism of Religious Framing & Disinformation

The MEA also took strong exception to Pakistan’s practice of dressing up its propaganda in religious terms. “We also strongly condemn Pakistan’s continued practice of propagating officially sponsored disinformation, often dressed in religious terminology such as the use of terms like Fitna al-Hindustan,” the spokesperson remarked. He described this as a futile attempt by the Pakistani establishment to divert attention from its domestic challenges and its documented role as a safe haven for global terrorist networks.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar participated in the high-level ASEAN-related meetings, including the ARF, in the Philippine capital over the past two days.

India advised Pakistan that instead of misusing international platforms and pointing fingers at neighbours, it should focus on dismantling terrorism infrastructure on its soil and addressing its internal affairs for the benefit of its own citizens.

The MEA’s response comes a day after its formal notification on July 23, 2026, underscoring that India’s position on both the territorial integrity of Jammu and Kashmir and the suspension of the IWT remains unchanged and unequivocal.