Has India Weaponised Water? The Shocking Truth Behind Pakistan’s Deadly Floods

Has India weaponised water to deliberately flood Pakistan? This troubling question has resurfaced after devastating monsoon floods submerged Pakistan’s Punjab province, displacing millions and killing hundreds. Officials in Islamabad accuse New Delhi of releasing excess water from upstream dams without timely warnings, calling it “water aggression.”

But is this really a case of India weaponising water—or a grim reality of climate change?

Pakistan’s Flood Crisis in 2025

For the second time in three years, catastrophic monsoon floods have ripped through Pakistan’s north and central regions. Punjab province has suffered the worst, with:

• 884 deaths nationwide, including 220 in Punjab.
• Villages submerged, farmland destroyed, and millions displaced.
• Infrastructure and flood defences overwhelmed.

This disaster has reignited debates about water security and India-Pakistan tensions.

Related Reading: Pakistan’s Climate Vulnerability Report

India’s Parallel Struggles with Floods

Interestingly, India has also been suffering from monsoon chaos:

• Over 100 deaths reported across Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab.
• Massive flooding in Indian Punjab, just across the border.
• Rivers swollen on both sides due to melting glaciers and record rainfall.

Experts argue this parallel suffering weakens claims that India deliberately weaponised water.

Accusations of “Water Terrorism”

Pakistan’s federal minister Ahsan Iqbal accused India of deliberately releasing water into the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers.

“India has started using water as a weapon and has caused wide-scale flooding in Punjab,” Iqbal said.

The accusations come after India walked away from the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) earlier this year, heightening suspicions in Islamabad that water is being used as a strategic weapon.

Experts Say Climate Change, Not India

Water experts strongly contest the narrative that India deliberately weaponised water.

• Dr. Daanish Mustafa, King’s College London:
  

  “Any excess water India releases impacts its own states first. To flood Pakistan, India would have to flood itself.”

• Shiraz Memon, former IWT commissioner for Pakistan:
  

  “Reservoirs across the region were full. Releases were a natural necessity, not aggression.”

The evidence points towards climate change-driven extremes—glacial melts, record monsoon rains, and obsolete dam capacities—rather than deliberate Indian sabotage.

The Indus Waters Treaty Breakdown

Signed in 1960, the IWT allowed peaceful sharing of the Indus Basin rivers:

• India controls Ravi, Beas, Sutlej.
• Pakistan controls Jhelum, Chenab, Indus.

But after the Pahalgam attack in April 2025, India suspended its participation, refusing to share hydrological data. This has fueled mistrust in Pakistan, where officials call it an act of “water terrorism.”

Internal Link: Read our in-depth article on the Indus Waters Treaty and South Asia’s water politics

Shared Monsoon Woes in South Asia

Both nations rely heavily on Himalayan and Karakoram glaciers. This year’s monsoon brought:

• Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
• Record-breaking rainfall.
• Rising water levels in all six rivers of the Indus Basin.

Infrastructure designed decades ago is no longer equipped to handle today’s climate extremes, forcing sudden dam releases.

Politics of Blame and Scapegoating

Why then do Pakistani officials continue to accuse India? Analysts say it’s partly political scapegoating:

• For Pakistan, blaming India diverts attention from weak flood management and poor governance.
• For India, suspending the treaty is framed as a bold stand against Pakistan, especially after May’s four-day military skirmish.

The result: a dangerous blame game that prevents meaningful cooperation.

Why Blaming India Won’t Stop Floods

Flood experts warn that weaponising water narratives oversimplify reality:

• Rivers are dynamic, uncontrollable systems.
• No dam can contain the sheer volume of extreme monsoons.
• Controlled releases are essential flood management tools, not necessarily hostile actions.

Instead of trading accusations, both countries need to invest in joint climate adaptation strategies, modern flood monitoring, and real-time data sharing.

Conclusion: A Call for Regional Cooperation

So, has India weaponised water to deliberately flood Pakistan? The evidence says no. While accusations make political headlines, the real villain is climate change combined with outdated infrastructure and fragile governance.

South Asia faces a shared future of climate-driven disasters. Unless India and Pakistan move beyond blame and toward regional water cooperation, millions more lives will remain at risk.