What the Suspension of the Indus Water Treaty Means
The cabinet committee on security (CSS), India’s highest-decision making body on national security, suspended the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in the wake of the dastardly 22 April Pahalgam terror attack. Announcing the measure, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said, “In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out. It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development.”
The Indus Water Treaty was brokered by the World Bank. The treaty withstood the 1965, 1971, and 1999 Indo-Pak wars but has now been suspended indefinitely.
The Indus Water Treaty, widely acknowledged as one of the most successful water-sharing agreements in the world, has long stood as a rare symbol of cooperation between two hostile neighbours.
The Origin
The Indus Water Treaty was signed on 19 September, 1960. It was crafted to fairly distribute the waters of the Indus river system that flows from the Himalayas into the Arabian Sea. The agreement came after bitter post-Partition disputes over water rights and aimed to avoid future conflicts by clearly delineating control over the six main rivers of the Indus basin.
Allocation of waters
Pakistan was allocated the three western rivers, namely Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. These rivers account for the majority of the water in the Indus system. The country receives approximately 135 million acre-feet (MAF) of water annually from these rivers.
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India was allocated three eastern rivers, namely Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej that receives around 33 MAF. India was also permitted limited agricultural and hydroelectric use of the western rivers, provided it did not alter the flow to Pakistan significantly.
A symbol of resilience
Wars, border skirmishes, and political upheavals notwithstanding, the Indus Water Treaty has survived for more than six decades. Experts have often cited it as an example of how shared natural resources can forge lead to cooperation, even in volatile regions. Joint commissions, regular meetings, and dispute-resolution mechanisms have helped keep the treaty functional, even during heightened tensions.
Implication of the suspension
Suspending the Indus Water Treaty is more than just a diplomatic move. it has real consequences for millions of people on both sides of the border.
For Pakistan, which is heavily reliant on the Indus system for agriculture, a suspension could threaten food and water security. About 80 percent of Pakistan’s irrigated land is fed by the Indus river and its tributaries.
For India, it raises questions about infrastructure readiness and long-term strategy. India has been working to better utilise its share of the eastern rivers and has even initiated hydroelectric projects on the western rivers within the treaty’s allowances. A full withdrawal could further embolden those projects.
What next?
With India announcing the suspension, the future of the treaty is likely to depend on how geopolitical tensions unfold. The suspension is a powerful message, but it could also act as a pressure tactic, instead of a permanent withdrawal.
