From the New Indian Express, April 23:
The Union government on Wednesday said it would suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, citing Islamabad’s continued support for cross-border terrorism.
The decision follows a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people, most of them tourists. The move is part of a broader package of retaliatory measures, including a downgrading of diplomatic ties with Pakistan.
What could be the impact of this move?
The Indus river system, vital to both countries, includes the Indus River and its five left-bank tributaries—the Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Jhelum and Chenab.
Last year, India sent a formal notice to Pakistan, seeking the "review and modification" of the treaty which had governed the allocation and management of these waters for over six decades.
Pradeep Kumar Saxena, who served as India's Indus Water Commissioner for over six years and has been associated with work related to the IWT, said India, as an upper riparian country, has multiple options.
"This could be the first step towards the abrogation of the Treaty, if the Government so decides," Saxena told PTI.
"Although there is no explicit provision in the Treaty for its abrogation, Article 62 of the Vienna Convention on Law of the Treaties provides 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," he said.
Listing out the steps India could take, Saxena said in the absence of the treaty, India is under no obligation to follow the restrictions on the "reservoir flushing" of the Kishanganga reservoir and other projects on Western rivers in Jammu and Kashmir....
....MUCH MORE
It's a tough neighborhood. Via Wikipedia:
Visegrád 24 adds some context:
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 23, 2025
India announces strong measures against Pakistan following yesterday’s deadly terror attack against Hindu tourists (26 killed) by Islamist terrorists from Pakistan:
1. Cancelling visas for all Pakistanis
2. Suspends Indus Waters Treaty (1960)
3. Closes the Wagah… pic.twitter.com/rGr3vvEse2
BREAKING:
India announces strong measures against Pakistan following yesterday’s deadly terror attack against Hindu tourists (26 killed) by Islamist terrorists from Pakistan:
1. Cancelling visas for all Pakistanis
2. Suspends Indus Waters Treaty (1960)
3. Closes the Wagah border crossing
- Pakistan has previously stated that terminating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) could amount to an act of war.
The World Bank-brokered agreement allocates the waters of 6 rivers in the Indus Basin.
India controls the eastern rivers (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi) with unrestricted use, while Pakistan has primary rights over the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab), though India can use them for non-consumptive purposes like hydropower.
If India starts blocking access to water from all 6 rivers, Pakistan will be hit by a water scarcity crisis and its economy will be in serious trouble as 70% of Pakistan’s water needs are covered by these rivers.
Pakistan’s Punjab and Sindh provinces, key agricultural hubs, would face severe water shortages followed by reduced crop yields, food insecurity, and economic losses.
- The Wagah border crossing, near Amritsar (India) and Lahore (Pakistan), is a key trade and cultural link, famous for its daily flag-lowering ceremony. Closing the vital trade route will particularly impact trade in agricultural products and cement.
Pakistan will instead have to rely on costlier routes via third countries or ports, increasing import costs and inflation. The Lahore region will face immediate economic hardship, unemployment and potential social unrest.
