India Puts Indus Water Treaty With Pakistan On Hold — Here’s What That Actually Changes

India on Wednesday announced that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) signed in 1960 with Pakistan has been put in abeyance with immediate effect.

The move follows the killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday.

The government stated that the suspension will remain until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” stops supporting cross-border terrorism.

The decision marks a major shift in how India intends to manage its shared river systems with Pakistan — and significantly alters the dynamics of water diplomacy between the two countries.

What is the Indus Waters Treaty?

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, divides the waters of six rivers between India and Pakistan.

The treaty was signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960 by then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistani President and Field Marshal Ayub Khan.

India was granted full rights over the three Eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — while Pakistan received control over the three Western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — with limited usage rights retained by India.

Though seen as one of the world’s most durable water-sharing agreements, the treaty has long been criticized in India for being overly generous to Pakistan, especially given recurring hostilities and Pakistan’s objections to Indian hydropower projects.

What Changes Now?

By putting the treaty on hold, India is no longer bound by its restrictive clauses. This opens several strategic options:

• No Design Restrictions: India can now proceed with dam and hydropower project designs on the Western rivers without needing to accommodate Pakistan’s objections — which have delayed multiple projects over the decades.

• Reservoir Management Freedom: Earlier, India could not carry out reservoir flushing freely or fill them at will. With the treaty suspended, India can flush silt from reservoirs like Kishanganga and refill them outside the limited peak monsoon period — potentially impacting Pakistan’s downstream irrigation schedules.

• End of Data Sharing: India is no longer obliged to share flood data with Pakistan — a critical buffer during the monsoon season. This move could complicate flood preparedness in Pakistan’s Punjab province, which heavily depends on timely upstream alerts.

• Project Clearances Without Diplomacy: Projects like Baglihar, Kishanganga, Ratle, and several others that have historically faced Pakistani objections may now proceed without diplomatic delays.

• Increased Water Storage: India can now pursue storage infrastructure up to or beyond the limits previously set by the treaty (3.6 MAF), particularly on the Jhelum and Chenab.

Legal Basis and Future Implications

According to an PTI report, former Indus Waters Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Saxena said that while the treaty has no explicit clause for its abrogation, international law under Article 62 of the Vienna Convention allows "sufficient room under which the treaty can be repudiated in view of the fundamental change of circumstances which has occurred with regard to those existing at the time of conclusion of the Treaty".

India had already issued a notice to Pakistan in January last year, seeking "review and modification" of the treaty.

Wednesday’s move signals a decisive shift toward exercising unilateral control unless there is a dramatic policy change in Islamabad.

A Strategic Lever

The suspension of the treaty doesn’t amount to full abrogation yet, but it significantly strengthens India’s strategic posture. It sends a message that cross-border terrorism will now carry costs not just in diplomacy, but in critical resources like water.

By lifting design and operational restrictions, India can push forward long-delayed projects on the Western rivers, assert better flood control in Jammu and Kashmir, and enhance water security.

However, actual implementation — building new dams, expanding storages, modifying operations — will take considerable time, technical effort and investment.

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