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India.com
25-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Indus Water Treaty Suspension: Can Pakistan-China Make Brahmaputra A Weapon Against India? Expert Says…
India-Pakistan Conflict: The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) that once garnered pats on the back for diplomacy between India and Pakistan has been in abeyance for a month. New Delhi's decision that terror and water cannot flow together made a critical point in relations between the two arch-rivals. The Indus Water Treaty has survived multiple conflicts between the two nations, besides thousands of terror attacks. However, the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the IWT, and there wasn't much left for Pakistan to do in the case. India has maintained that the Indus Water Treaty will be in abeyance until Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism." The Indus River system is made of multiple rivers, including the Indus, Chenab, Beas, Jhelum, Sutlej, and Ravi. What Is IWT? In 1951, Pakistan raised the water dispute with India in the United Nations, following which the World Bank started the mediation. After nine years of discussions and negotiations, the Indus Water Treaty was signed in 1960 by then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistani President Mohammad Ayub Khan. Since then, India and Pakistan have been in several conflicts, including four wars- the First Kashmir War (1947), the Second War (1965), the War of Liberation of Bangladesh (1971), and the Kargil War (1999). Besides, there have been almost three decades of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism plaguing Jammu and Kashmir. While Pakistan is trying to take the Indus Water Treaty Suspension issue to every corner of the world, it has got support from its all-weather allies, Turkey and China. There have been apprehensions that just like what India did to Pakistan with the IWT, China may do it with India, using the Brahmaputra river, which originates in Tibet and flows to India via China. Can China Use Brahmaputra Against India? Although Pakistan wants China to punish India using the Brahmaputra river, Beijing is unlikely to do so in the current scenario, since the reasons for the conflict between India and Pakistan are different from the reasons for skirmishes between India and China. When asked if China could interpret the Indus Water Treaty suspension as a signal to increase pressure on India through the Brahmaputra, former diplomat and defence expert Deepak Vohra said that the issue about the Brahmaputra has been talked about for a long time. "China has been threatening to build a huge dam, the largest in the world, on the Brahmaputra. They haven't started work yet," said Vohra, while saying that IWT and Brahamputra issues are not linked. He added that the issues between India and China are on the border demarcation, but with Pakistan, the issues are related to fueling cross-border terrorism. Does India Have Right To Suspend IWT? The former diplomat said that when the Indus Water Treaty was inked, India was pretty young back then, and gave away a very large share of water to Pakistan. He informed that while the Indus Water Treaty does not have a clause for amendment, the treaty can be invalidated. "According to the Geneva Convention or the Geneva Law on Treaties, often called Treaty on Treaties, if the circumstances in which a treaty was signed are materially, demographically, politically, or socially altered, then the said treaty can be invalidated," said Vohra. He continued, "For all practical purposes, the treaty is dead. It's not going to be revived. We have said that if Pakistan demonstrates its commitment to give up terrorism, then India will see what to do. Pakistan is not going to give it up, and therefore, the treaty is not going to be revived." Vohra said that the IWT has virtually been abrogated except for nomenclature. "Keeping it in abeyance is the same as abrogating it, except for the nomenclature. And we can always tell people who curse and abuse us that it's in abeyance, and has not been terminated," he added.
Indian Express
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Water wars and signing of Indus Waters Treaty
On September 19, 1960, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammad Ayub Khan, then Pakistan President, signed the historic Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in Karachi. This was the second major pact with Pakistan since its creation, the first being the Nehru-Noon pact of October 1958 on East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The IWT, which survived four wars, decades of cross-border terrorism against India by Pakistan and opposition in India for over 64 years, was finally placed in abeyance on April 23, 2025, a day after 26 men were shot dead by terrorists in a Pahalgam meadow. Water disputes between the two nations date back to Partition, starting with the contentious division of resources across the Indus river system. For instance, the Depalpur canal was given to Pakistan, while the control of the headworks (a structure at the head or diversion point of a waterway) that fed the canal, the Ferozepur Headworks, went to India. To resolve the dispute over supply of water to the Central Bari Doab and Depalpur canals in Pakistan's West Punjab by East Punjab, Nehru and Malik Ghulam Mohammad, then Pakistan Finance Minister, signed the Inter-Dominion Accord in New Delhi on May 4, 1948. The accord stated that India would allow waters to areas in Pakistan under the Sutlej, which it had been enjoying for a long time, before its supply was gradually reduced and Pakistan made alternative arrangements. This accord too had its own bitter history. Before signing the May 1948 pact, Pakistan was secretly trying to construct a channel upstream of Ferozepur to divert the Sutlej waters. Had this subterfuge not been detected in time, some of the Indian canals would have run dry. In protest, India started constructing the Harike Barrage in Ferozepur to ensure that waters would be available to its eastern and Bikaner canals. In response, Pakistan started building the Bambanwala-Ravi-Bedian-Dipalpur canal. As relations between two nations worsened due to water-related issues, Pakistan proposed approaching the Security Council and the International Court of Justice — a plan rejected by India. It was at this stage in 1951 that the World Bank offered to settle the issue. By 1954, the institution was ready with a proposal on allotment of the waters of the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, except for minor uses in Jammu and Kashmir, to Pakistan, and those of the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas to India. Though this allotment was accepted by India, Pakistan had reservations. In the meantime, an ad-hoc transitional arrangement was signed for 1955-56 on October 31, 1955, in Washington D C by N D Gulhati, then a joint secretary to Government of India, and G Mueenuddin, OSD in Pakistan's Industries Ministry. But, the larger issue remained unresolved. The biggest hold-up to the World Bank's proposal was the cost of replacement works, estimated to be nearly Rs 700 crore. Of that, Rs 620 crore — 60% of which was a grant — came from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, the US, West Germany and the World Bank. The rest, around Rs 83 crore, was to be given by India in 10 installments to the World Bank. The money was constituted as a separate fund, named the Indus Basin Development Fund, which was managed by the World Bank. It was estimated that the replacement works would be completed within 10 years, starting from 1960. Pakistan was offered a three-year extension, if required, subject to a penalty of Rs 4 crore per annum. Six years after it was originally proposed, Pakistan finally agreed to sign the plan. On the day he signed the IWT, Nehru announced that '… a very difficult and complicated problem which has troubled India and Pakistan for many years has been satisfactorily solved'. Though it was signed in September 1960, the proposal was effective from April 1960 onwards. However, the pact led to an uproar in Parliament. Weeks after his return from Karachi, Nehru clarified during a debate on the issue in Lok Sabha on November 30, 1960, 'Naturally, one can always say that instead of Rs 80 crore, if we pay Rs 50 crore, we will be gainers by Rs 30 crore and if we do not pay anything at all, we will be gainers by Rs 80 crore. But we are not talking in terms of agreements, but in terms of disagreements, of continuing disagreements and taking the consequences of those disagreements. In such matters, water especially and other matters, what one gains is infinitely more than a sum that we may give now or later.' Defending the World Bank's role, he said, '(It) suggested that it might be a good thing if India and Pakistan had the advantage of associating the World Bank with it, with the expert engineers, etc., and that it might help.' Despite his assurances, leaders like Madhu Limaye, J B Kripalani, Balraj Madhok and Atal Bihari Vajpayee opposed the IWT. While Surendra Mohanty of the Gantantra Party called it a 'treaty of surrender', Vajpayee, then a first-time MP from Balrampur, cautioned that 'despite this treaty, no one knows that Pakistan will behave like our friend.' In May 1964, Nehru died. In August 1965, India went to war with Pakistan over territorial disputes, particularly Kashmir. A few months after the ceasefire in the 1965 war, there were demands to end the IWT. Responding in the Lok Sabha on November 10, 1965, then Irrigation Minister K L Rao said, 'The breaking of the treaty at this stage is …not at all proper having regard to this fact that this treaty is a sort of tripartite treaty and not merely between India and Pakistan.' Meanwhile, Pakistan finished constructing the Mangla Dam under the IWT's terms in 1967. As she was flying over Pakistan while on her way to Moscow, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent a congratulatory message to General Ayub Khan, then Pakistan President, on the completion of the dam. On her return to India, just like her father in the winter of 1960, Indira had to deal with an uproar in Parliament, with Opposition leaders still maintaining that the IWT 'was against India's interests'. The writer is Senior Associate Editor, The Indian Express
Express Tribune
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
A River Divided: The Rise and Fall of the Indus Waters Treaty?
Listen to article In the annals of international relations, few agreements have been able to withstand the test of time and conflict like the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The treaty, signed in 1960 between Pakistan and India, managed to endure wars, political upheavals and decades of fragile relations between the two bordering nuclear-armed nations. The IWT has shown its strength by being a beacon of endurance and hope in Indo-Pak relations. Yet this symbol of endurance is facing its most crucial moment as India has decided to unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty following a deadly terrorist attack on Indian tourists in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) region of Pahalgam. Genesis of a lifeline The Indus is not just a river, it is an identity. An identity of millions whose lifeline depends on its flow and consumption. The river predates the formation of both states and has historic value. This helps in sustaining agriculture, livelihood, and ecosystems in Pakistan and India. Originating in Tibet, the river traverses through the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir, flowing into Pakistan and eventually emptying into the Arabian Sea. According to Climate-Diplomacy, approximately 90% of Pakistan's food production is linked to agriculture and animal husbandry, which rely on the Indus River. The Indus also aids in the irrigation networks in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. Water relations before IWT India and Pakistan had no shared water treaty before the formation of the Indus Waters Treaty. The boundary commission, headed by Sir Cyril Radcliffe, did not make any serious effort to establish a water sharing agreement between India and Pakistan; instead, it opted for the newly created states to resolve the issue themselves. Water politics wasn't a cause of concern in the early days of partition, but the issue was highlighted when the East Punjab province of India chopped off the water supply to the West Punjab province of Pakistan in April 1948, culminating towards a water crisis for Pakistan. India's actions prompted the need to form a structured water treaty between the two nations, which could guarantee Pakistan's water supply from the Indus. The rise of the Indus Waters Treaty The Indus Waters Treaty was not formed in a day's work, it took years of technical, diplomatic and political expertise for its formation. The treaty was initially signed on September 19, 1960, in Karachi. Pakistan was represented by its President Mohammad Ayub Khan and India by its Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, with the World Bank (then commonly known as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) acting as a mediator and broker to the treaty. The treaty survived three major wars and decades of diplomatic tensions and political upheaval until India decided to suspend it unilaterally. Salient Features of the IWT: The treaty includes a preamble, 12 articles (I-XII) and eight annexes. The treaty is binding between its parties (Pakistan and India). Article II grants India exclusive rights over the Indus' eastern rivers (Ravi, Sutlej, Beas) Article III grants Pakistan rights over the western rivers ( Indus, Jhelum and Chenab ) of the Indus. Article XII(4) states that the provisions of the Treaty shall continue in force until terminated by a duly ratified treaty concluded for that purpose between the two Governments. Article VIII establishes the Permanent Indus Commission. Article IX provides a mechanism for resolving disputes and differences between the parties. Timeline: Key events in Indus Waters Treaty history Year / Date Event 1947 Partition of British India April 1, 1948 Water withholding begins May 4, 1948 Interim Accord 1951 Pakistan approaches UN 1960 Treaty signed 1965 Indo-Pak war 1971 Indo-Pak war 1999 Kargil war 2001 India parliament attack 2008 Mumbai attacks 2016 Uri attack 2019 Pulwama attack 2019 Kashmir's special status revoked 2025 (April 23) Pahalgam attack The fall of the Indus Waters Treaty? The breaking point for the treaty came with the tragic attack in the Pahalgam region of IIOJK, which resulted in the death of more than two dozen tourists. India, without launching any formal investigation or presenting any evidence, accused Pakistan of facilitating the attack, labelling it as an act of cross-border terrorism. Despite Pakistan's condemnation of the attack, India suspended the IWT, marking a significant departure from decades of successful water diplomacy. However, despite India's unilateral actions, the treaty's provisions suggest measures for the termination or suspension of the treaty and a state mechanism for resolving disputes between the signatories. Several experts and diplomats including Abdul Basit, Pakistan's former high commissioner to India (2014-2017), believe that there are no immediate diplomatic problems for Pakistan especially with regards to the cancellation of the Indus Waters Treaty. Over the long term, India's suspension will have devastating consequences for Pakistan, which is already facing water insecurity. The Indus helps Pakistan in sustaining its agriculture and economy. It is also deeply embedded in Pakistan's cultural, historical and spiritual identity, especially in Sindh. The I in Pakistan significantly denotes Indus and is mentioned in the country's folk traditions, Sufism and music. The treaty maintained its significance by being one of the most successful water treaties in the world despite fragile Indo-Pak relations. As tensions between India and Pakistan rise, safeguarding the Indus and the IWT remains vital not just for Pakistan's stability, but for the preservation of a shared heritage that transcends borders.
NDTV
23-04-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
What Is Indus Waters Treaty With Pak That India Suspended After J&K Terror Attack
New Delhi: In a sharp response to the terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir's Pahalgam, India on Wednesday announced a series of severe measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus-Waters Treaty that governs the sharing of the river Indus' waters. Click here for Pahalgam terror attack live updates What is the Indus Waters Treaty? India and Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty on September 19, 1960, after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory to the pact. The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two sides on the use of the waters of a number of cross-border rivers. Under the agreement governing six common rivers, all the water of the eastern rivers - Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi amounting to around 33 million acre feet (MAF) annually - has been allocated to India for unrestricted use. The waters of western rivers - Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab - amounting to around 135 MAF annually have been assigned largely to Pakistan. According to the Treaty, India has been given the right to generate hydroelectricity through run of the river projects on the western rivers subject to specific criteria for design and operation. The Treaty also gives the right to Pakistan to raise objections on the design of Indian hydroelectric projects on western rivers. The treaty warrants the two commissioners to meet at least once a year, alternately in India and Pakistan. However, a meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi in March 2020 was cancelled in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The provisions of the treaty may from time to time be modified by a duly ratified treaty concluded for that purpose between the two governments. The preamble of the treaty says: "The Government of India and the Government of Pakistan, being equally desirous of attaining the most complete and satisfactory utilisation of the waters of the Indus system of rivers and recognising the need, therefore, of fixing and delimiting, in a spirit of goodwill and friendship, the rights and obligations of each in relation to the other concerning the use of these waters and of making provision for the settlement, in a cooperative spirit, of all such questions as may hereafter arise in regard to the interpretation or application of the provisions agreed upon herein, have resolved to conclude a Treaty in furtherance of these objectives, and for this purpose have named as their plenipotentiaries..." The treaty was signed under the leadership of then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistan Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan.
