India hits pause on the Indus Waters Treaty , turning a decades-old peace accord into diplomatic leverage.
For the first time since it was signed, the treaty is being used as a strategic tool, not just a peacekeeping mechanism.
In 1960, India and Pakistan signed a water treaty so resilient, it survived two wars and countless cross-border skirmishes. The Indus Waters Treaty was hailed as a model of water diplomacy — an agreement that kept the taps running, even when everything else was falling apart.
But this week, the taps turned political.
Following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people including civilians and tourists were killed, India announced a set of hardline measures.
Among them: a pause on the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the Attari-Wagah border checkpoint, and a scale-down of diplomatic presence in both countries.
So what exactly is this treaty, and why does it matter.
What is the Indus Waters Treaty?
The Indus Waters Treaty is an agreement between India and Pakistan, signed in 1960, to share water from rivers that flow through both countries. Since both nations rely heavily on these rivers for farming and irrigation, the treaty was created to prevent water-related conflicts.
It was brokered by the World Bank and signed by India’s then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan’s President Ayub Khan.
Under the deal:
- India gets full rights to use water from the eastern rivers – Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi.
- Pakistan gets most of the water from the western rivers – Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.
Now, when we say ‘eastern’ and ‘western’ rivers in the context of the Indus Waters Treaty, we’re referring to the geographical layout of the rivers as they flow through the northern part of the Indian subcontinent.
Here’s the geography in simple terms:
🟡 Eastern Rivers - Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi: these rivers flow mostly through India, starting in the Himalayas and moving through Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Because they lie more on the eastern side of the Indus river system, they’re called ‘eastern rivers’. India has full rights to use their water.
🔵 Western Rivers - Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab: these rivers also begin in India (mainly in Jammu & Kashmir), but they flow westward into Pakistan and are more crucial to Pakistan’s agriculture. That’s why Pakistan gets the major share of water from these rivers.
The treaty basically made this split official, so both countries could plan their water use without stepping on each other’s toes.
To understand this better, let’s look at the History first
IWT was signed after 12 years of heated negotiations between India and Pakistan.
The partition of 1947 had triggered a tug-of-war over river access, and tensions flared when India temporarily cut off water supply to Pakistan in April 1948. That water crisis scared both countries into realizing they needed a more permanent solution.
The World Bank played marriage counselor, organizing endless rounds of negotiation, technical assessments, and financial aid deals to make the treaty palatable for both sides.
Financial arrangements were baked into the deal: the World Bank helped raise $900 million (in 1960s dollars) to fund Pakistan's canal-building spree so it could survive the shift in water access.
What can India do
The country could gain the right to use or divert more water from the three western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab), which were earlier earmarked for Pakistan.
- Divert river flows eastward: India could plan engineering projects (like canals or tunnels) to redirect some of the water from western rivers into Indian states like Punjab, J&K, or Himachal.
- Delay the release: even minor delays in water release (e.g., holding water during sowing season) could severely impact Pakistan’s crops.
- Accelerate hydropower projects: India could speed up building run-of-river hydroelectric projects (which store minimal water but can control flow timing).
In 2016, PM Modi had committed to stop any unused water from Eastern Rivers flowing into Pakistan. Post-Pulwama, India fast-tracked Eastern River projects to fully use its share, ensuring no surplus crossed the border.
Why it matters to Pakistan
80% of Pakistan’s river water comes from the western rivers that start in India. Especially for Punjab and Sindh, this water is critical, used for agriculture, irrigation, and drinking.
Punjab province alone grows 85% of the country’s food, and it’s entirely dependent on water from this system.
If India were to block, divert, or delay this water, even slightly, Pakistan’s food supply, farming, and economy could take a serious hit.
Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, making up nearly 25% of its GDP and serving as the main source of income for 70% of its rural population.
But Pakistan is already struggling with groundwater shortages, and cities like Karachi depend on private water tankers. So, any disruption in the flow could seriously impact crop production, potentially leading to food shortages and economic stress.
The consequences are not immediate
The Western Rivers are crucial for farming in Pakistan’s Punjab region. But due to the way these rivers flow and the hilly terrain, India can’t easily build big dams or storage reservoirs on them.
This move is largely seen as a pressure tactic. Over the last few years, especially post events like the 2016 Uri attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack, India has repeatedly signalled its intent to use the treaty as strategic leverage.
So what does this pause really mean?
Right now, it’s more a signal than a shift. India hasn’t revoked the treaty—it’s using the threat of leverage. And while immediate disruptions are unlikely, the message is clear: the Indus Waters Treaty is no longer untouchable.
Whether this pressure leads to diplomatic recalibration or fades into the background will depend on what happens next.
But for the first time in over 60 years, water is no longer just a shared resource. It’s a tool on the negotiating table.
