NEW DELHI: India on Friday rejected Pakistani media reports alleging that it deliberately caused flooding in Pakistan, calling the claims "baseless" and attributing the recent rise in water levels in the Chenab river to heavy monsoon rainfall over Jammu and adjoining catchment areas.
Responding to the allegations, External Affairs Ministry (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the increase in flows in the Chenab between July 20 and 23 was "a direct consequence of intense monsoon rainfall" and not the result of any deliberate action by India.
"Pakistani media reports alleging that India is deliberately causing flooding is 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.
He also pointed to Pakistan's Flood Forecasting Division in Lahore, which, in a flood advisory issued on July 22, attributed the high flood levels in the Chenab to heavy rainfall over the upper catchment and said high flows at Marala were expected to persist before gradually receding as rainfall 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. 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," he said.
Addressing allegations that India had failed to issue flood warnings, Jaiswal said river flows during the period did not reach discharge levels that warranted special flood alerts.
"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," he said.
Jaiswal added that, as in the previous year, India would continue to share high-flood data with Pakistan on humanitarian grounds through diplomatic channels whenever the situation required.
"Nevertheless, like last year, India will share high-flood data with Pakistan on humanitarian grounds, through diplomatic channels as and when a situation arises," he said.