Subject: GS 2: International Relations
Context: India has said that the Indus Waters Treaty (1960) will remain suspended until Pakistan permanently and credibly stops supporting cross-border terrorism.
- The statement came after Pakistan sought restoration of the treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack (2025) and Operation Sindoor.
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About the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)
- Historic Water-Sharing Agreement: Signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan, with the World Bank as a signatory facilitating the negotiations, making it one of the world’s longest-standing transboundary river treaties.
River Allocation: The Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) were allocated for India’s unrestricted use, while the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) were largely allocated to Pakistan, subject to specified Indian uses.- India’s Permitted Rights: India can undertake run-of-the-river hydropower projects, irrigation, navigation and limited storage on Western Rivers within treaty-prescribed technical parameters.
- Institutional Mechanism: The treaty established the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) for regular data sharing, inspections, technical cooperation and dispute prevention.
- Dispute Resolution Framework: Provides a graded mechanism involving the Permanent Indus Commission, Neutral Expert, and Court of Arbitration for resolving technical and legal disputes.
Why has India Kept the Treaty in Abeyance?
- Cross-Border Terrorism: India argues that the treaty was founded on the principles of goodwill and friendship, which Pakistan has consistently violated by supporting cross-border terrorism.
- The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) placed the treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam attack, linking water cooperation to national security concerns.
- Changing Ground Realities: India has highlighted that climate change, population growth, changing developmental needs and technological advancements have substantially altered the assumptions on which the treaty was negotiated.
- Repeated Treaty Disputes: Persistent disagreements over projects such as Kishanganga and Ratle Hydroelectric Projects, alongside Pakistan’s simultaneous use of multiple dispute resolution forums, have strained treaty implementation.
- National Security Priority: India maintains that “water and blood cannot flow together,” signalling that bilateral cooperation cannot continue independently of Pakistan’s actions on terrorism.
Implications of the Treaty Remaining in Abeyance
- Bilateral Relations: Suspension further deepens diplomatic tensions and reduces one of the few remaining institutional channels of India-Pakistan cooperation.
- Pakistan’s Water Concerns: Pakistan has repeatedly described restoration of the treaty as essential for its long-term water and agricultural security.
- India’s Strategic Leverage: The decision enhances India’s negotiating leverage while allowing greater flexibility in optimising permissible water utilisation within its territory.
- International Attention: The development has attracted global attention because the treaty has long been viewed as a resilient example of international river governance.
- Future Water Diplomacy: The episode highlights the growing linkage between national security, water security, climate change, and transboundary resource management.
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Conclusion
The Indus Waters Treaty has entered a new phase where water diplomacy is increasingly inseparable from national security, climate resilience and regional geopolitics. India’s decision to keep the treaty in abeyance reflects a shift towards integrating counter-terrorism, strategic interests and sustainable water governance into its neighbourhood policy.
4 Jul 2026
