The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday rejected alleged Pakistani media reports claiming that flooding was deliberately caused in Pakistan.
At a presser, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the claims “baseless” and said that the excess water flow in Chenab was the result of heavy rainfall, not any deliberate action by India.
Jaiswal said the reports were contrary to the facts, explaining that the recent increase in the flow of the Chenab River was a direct consequence of intense monsoon rainfall over Jammu and adjoining catchment areas between July 20 and 23, 2026.
“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. The recent increase in flows in the River Chenab is a direct consequence of intense monsoon rainfall over Jammu and adjoining catchment areas during 20-23 July 2026,” Jaiswal said in a bi-weekly media briefing.
Jaiswal quotes Pakistani weather reports
Jaiswal added that Pakistan had itself earlier attributed the high water levels in the Chenab River to heavy rainfall over the upper catchment and said the high flows at Marala were expected to persist before gradually receding as rainfall decreased.
“Significantly, Pakistan’s own Flood Forecasting Division, Lahore, in its Flood Advisory issued on 22 July 2026 (1718 PST), attributed the high flood levels in the River Chenab to heavy rainfall over the upper catchment and stated that high flows at Marala were expected to persist before gradually receding as rainfall over the catchment decreased.”
“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,” he added.
‘Claims factually incorrect, flooding weather-driven,’ says Jaiswal
Jaiswal further rejected Pakistan’s allegations that India had deliberately caused or worsened flooding, asserting that the claims were “factually incorrect, technically untenable.”
He underlined that the flooding was a weather-driven event caused by intense monsoon rainfall and not the result of any “upstream intervention” by India, and pointed out that local media reports were contradicting Pakistan’s own official flood advisories.
“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.”
The MEA spokesperson further dismissed allegations that India had failed to issue flood warnings, saying the river flows during the period did not reach levels that warranted the issuance of any special alerts. According to Jaiswal, the observed discharge remained consistent with prevailing monsoon conditions over the upper catchments, a fact that had also been acknowledged by Pakistan’s flood forecasting authorities.
“As regards allegations relating to flood warnings, the river flows during this period did not reach extraordinary discharge levels requiring the issuance of special flood warnings. The observed flows were consistent with prevailing monsoon conditions over the upper catchments, as acknowledged by Pakistan’s own flood forecasting authorities.”
“Any suggestion that India deliberately withheld flood-related information is, therefore, without factual basis.”
While no specific media reports were mentioned during the briefing, a July 20 report by Dawn, quoting a senior official of Pakistan’s Punjab Irrigation Department, had claimed that “India had not provided Pakistan with prior information on upstream river flows.”
The Pakistani official had also claimed that no information from India regarding upstream water flows or expected rainfall was received. “We were expecting rainfall there from July 21 onward, but the surge came unexpectedly,” he said, as reported by Dawn.
Will share data on humanitarian grounds
Reiterating its stance that India will continue to share high-flood data, Jaiswal in the briefing said, “Nevertheless, like last year, India will share high-flood data with Pakistan on humanitarian grounds, through diplomatic channels as and when a situation arises.”
After the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan last year after the Pahalgam attack, India had said that it will continue sharing flood data with Pakistan through diplomatic channels purely on a humanitarian basis.
“We have been sharing high flood data with Pakistan through our diplomatic channels as and when it is required. This sharing of data is happening through our high commission in Islamabad,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said then.
At least 26 people were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam last year. India delivered a strong response to Pakistan, which included the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. PM Modi had then said that “water and blood will not flow together.”
Jaiswal, on Friday said that India stands firm on its position on the treaty. “The Indus Waters Treaty is, or remains, in abeyance until Pakistan irrevocably and credibly abjures its support for cross-border terrorism,” he said.