India's water used to go outside; will now be utilised for country: PM Modi on Indus Water Treaty abeyance

New Indian Express

06-05-2025

NEW DELHI: In an apparent reference to the Indus Waters Treaty being put in abeyance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said earlier even the water which rightfully belonged to India went outside the country but it will now flow for India's benefit and will be utilised for the country.
Addressing the ABP Network's 'India@2047' Summit, Modi asserted that for taking big decisions and achieving objectives, it is important to give primacy to national interest and believe in the country's capability.
The prime minister said that when people look at the country now, they can proudly say "democracy can deliver", and stressed that the government was moving from GDP-centric approach to progress based on Gross Empowerment of People (GEP).
While speaking about the work done on the interlinking of rivers, Modi quipped that water is a topic of intense discussion in the media lately.
"Earlier, even the water which rightfully belonged to India was going outside the country. Now India's water will flow for the country's interest and will be useful for it," he said in an apparent reference to India putting Indus Water Treaty in abeyance as part of countermeasures against Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Referring to the new Waqf law, Modi said the need for reforming the law was being felt for decades, but to satisfy a votebank even this noble work was defamed.
"Now the amendments have been made which in the real sense will help poor Muslim mothers and sisters and poor Pasmanda Muslims," he said.
In his address, he said the biggest dream of this changing India is to become 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047.
"The country has the capabilities, resources and the willpower for it," he said.