ISLAMABAD: Russian strategic affairs expert Dr Roxolana Zigón has said India is weaponising water by undermining the Indus Waters Treaty, warning that New Delhi’s unilateral actions pose a serious threat not only to Pakistan but to the wider international legal order.
Speaking at the Indus Waters Treaty seminar in Islamabad, Dr Zigón said the treaty was not merely a matter between Pakistan and India, but a global issue linked to the rights of all downstream states.
“This is not just about Pakistan and India, it has to do with every state,” she said, adding that the world was witnessing a “serious deterioration of the international legal system.”
Water terrorism warning
Dr Zigón accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of using water as a tool of pressure against Pakistan.
“Modi is causing water terrorism,” she said. “The Indian government is actively working to ensure not a single drop of water goes to Pakistan.”
She said India was wrongly linking water sharing with other political and security issues, despite the treaty’s clear legal standing.
According to Dr Zigón, more than 90 per cent of Pakistan’s agriculture depends on the Indus river system, making any interference with water flows a direct threat to Pakistan’s food security, agriculture and economy.
Treaty foundation of peace
The Russian expert said the Indus Waters Treaty remained the foundation of peace and security in South Asia, adding that any move against it could endanger regional stability.
“IWT is the foundation of peace in South Asia,” she said.
She noted that Pakistan had written to India twice in 2025 and once in 2026 to address concerns under the treaty’s framework.
Dr Zigón said India was seeking to weaponise water through infrastructure projects and illegal construction of dams.
She warned that India’s unilateral action could provoke tension and erode international rules.
“Any move against the Indus Waters Treaty can end regional stability,” she said.
Regional reliability questioned
Dr Zigón said hostile hegemony was dangerous and Indian policymakers were undermining their reliability in major international platforms, including BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
She added that India, as a strategic partner of Israel, had adopted a violent posture.
