US EditionRivers of Strife: India's Water Maneuvering Amid Indus Treaty Dispute
- On April 23, 2025, following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, India announced that it would put the Indus Waters Treaty on hold.
- India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty is inconsistent with international treaty rules and the provisions of the Vienna Convention, as the treaty itself does not contain any clauses permitting suspension.
- India plans to expand water infrastructure like extending the Ranbir canal and boosting hydropower on rivers primarily allocated to Pakistan under the treaty.
- India stated that the treaty will stay suspended until Pakistan clearly and permanently ends its backing of cross-border terrorism, while Pakistan denies any involvement and calls for renewed dialogue.
- This suspension raises concerns over escalating regional tensions, potential ecological consequences, and challenges to the treaty’s longstanding role in water sharing between the two countries.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Indus Water Treaty suspension: The dangerous consequences of hydro-politics
In an unprecedented move, India recently suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, citing cross-border terrorism. This was one of a series of escalations between the two countries which now find themselves on the brink of war.The treaty suspension reflects a growing regional trend: South Asian countries are increasingly treating water as a strategic asset rather than a shared resource amid rising mistrust, climate stress and geopolit…
India plans expansion of Ranbir canal on Chenab to boost water use after Indus Waters Treaty suspension
The government is considering plans to expand the Ranbir canal on the Chenab river as part of a broader strategy to maximise the utilisation of water resources following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), officials said. The decision comes in the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack, after which India placed the treaty in abeyance. Until now, India’s use of water from the Chenab has been limited, primarily for irrigation. Howe…
India in no hurry to review suspension of Indus Waters Treaty: MoJS
New Delhi: The Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) is in no hurry to dilute the decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, a stand taken by the Centre as part of tough measures announced against Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack, a top official said on Friday. The Treaty figured prominently in MoJS monthly report sent to the Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan earlier in the week, indicating a status quo on the suspension. Debashree Mu…
Rivers of Strife: India's Water Maneuvering Amid Indus Treaty Dispute
Rivers of Strife: India's Water Maneuvering Amid Indus Treaty Dispute India is poised to significantly boost its water withdrawal from the Indus river system, which sustains Pakistani agriculture, following a terrorist attack claimed by India to be backed by Pakistan. This decision puts a decades-old water-sharing treaty in jeopardy, escalating tensions between the two nations.The Indian government has suspended its involvement in the Indus Wate…
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