India dismissed Pakistan's allegations of causing floods as 'baseless,' stating the Chenab river's surge was due to heavy monsoon rain. The MEA confirmed it will continue to share critical flood data with Islamabad on humanitarian grounds.
India on Friday dismissed claims by Pakistan that it intentionally created flood conditions across the border, terming the assertions "baseless and contrary to the facts," while affirming that New Delhi will keep providing critical flood data to Islamabad for humanitarian reasons, as done previously.
Rebuffing reports in Pakistani media accusing New Delhi of causing the floods, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that the surge in the flow of the Chenab river stemmed entirely from heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. "We have seen Pakistani media reports alleging that India is deliberately causing flooding in Pakistan, and such allegations are baseless and contrary to the facts," Jaiswal stated during a media briefing.
'Weather-driven flood, not upstream intervention'
He explained that the elevated water levels in the Chenab were a "direct consequence of intense monsoon rainfall over Jammu and adjoining catchment areas during 20-23 July 2026".
The spokesperson pointed out that Pakistan's Lahore-based Flood Forecasting Division had itself linked the heavy discharge in the Chenab to downpours in the upper catchment regions. Citing Pakistan's official flood advisory issued on July 22, the MEA noted that authorities in Pakistan expected the high volume at Marala to persist before gradually subsiding as rainfall over the catchment diminished.
"The rise in river flows is, therefore, a natural hydrological response to heavy monsoon rainfall and not the result of any deliberate action by India," Jaiswal said. Firmly rejecting attempts to blame India for the situation, the spokesperson added, "Attempts to portray a weather-driven flood event as an upstream intervention are factually incorrect, technically untenable, and contradicted by Pakistan's own official flood advisories."
India to Share Flood Data on Humanitarian Grounds
The MEA also brushed aside claims that New Delhi failed to transmit advance flood warnings to Islamabad. Jaiswal observed that river discharges during the period had not crossed extraordinary thresholds that would trigger formal flood warnings. He highlighted that the prevailing flow patterns aligned with standard monsoon activity in the upper catchment, a detail corroborated by Pakistan's own forecasting bodies.
"Any suggestion that India deliberately withheld flood-related information is, therefore, without factual basis," he emphasised. However, the spokesperson noted that India remains committed to sharing critical data on humanitarian grounds. "Nevertheless, like last year, India will share high-flood data with Pakistan on humanitarian grounds, through diplomatic channels as and when a situation arises," Jaiswal added.
Unchanged Position on Indus Waters Treaty
Turning to comments made by Pakistan at the ASEAN forum regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the MEA spokesperson reiterated New Delhi's firm stance. "The ASEAN forum was utilised by Pakistan to make certain remarks. We have issued categorical rejections of the issues raised through our press release," Jaiswal said, maintaining that India's position on the pact remains unchanged. "The Indus Waters Treaty remains in abeyance until Pakistan irrevocably and credibly abjures its support for cross-border terrorism," he stressed.
Reiteration of Position on China's 'Illegal Occupation'
Addressing queries regarding China and territorial sovereignty, Jaiswal recalled the External Affairs Minister's statement that India does not encroach upon Chinese sovereignty. He asserted that Beijing has been in "illegal occupation of Indian territories in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh since 1963" and reiterated India's strong objections to Chinese infrastructure projects undertaken within territories that New Delhi considers its own. (ANI)
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