As a retaliatory diplomatic move, India on Wednesday suspended the Indus Water Treaty and announced a downgrade in diplomatic ties with Pakistan, including the expulsion of its military attachés, in light of cross-border links to the Pahalgam terror attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with top security officials that evening to decide how India would respond to the terror attack. What will be the impact of suspending the Indus Water Treaty? Could it devastate Pakistan’s water resources completely? Here are a few insights on it.
What Is Indus Water Treaty Between India And Pakistan
India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan’s President Ayub Khan signed the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) on September 19, 1960. The World Bank brokered the agreement to ensure that both India and Pakistan could fairly and peacefully share the water from the Indus River and its branches. These rivers are very important for farming, drinking water, and industries in both countries.
Rivers In Control Of India And Pakistan
India controls the eastern rivers- Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej- while the treaty allocated the western rivers- Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab- to Pakistan. Although India controls the eastern rivers, the treaty allows it to use only a limited amount of water from the western rivers for farming and for generating electricity without consuming the water. Pakistan got to use 80% of the total water, which was a big advantage for them under the agreement.
Why Was A Treaty Established?
When British India was split in 1947, the Indus River system, which flows from Tibet through India and Pakistan and also touches parts of Afghanistan and China, became a point of conflict.
In 1948, India stopped the flow of water to Pakistan for a short time, which led Pakistan to bring the issue to the United Nations. The UN suggested bringing in a neutral third party, so the World Bank got involved to help mediate.
After many years of talks, the Indus Water Treaty was signed in 1960 by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani President Ayub Khan, allowing both countries to manage and share the river peacefully.
How And Why Will the Suspension Impact Pakistan?
According to India, the suspension of the treaty would significantly affect Pakistan, as it governs the use and distribution of water from the Indus River and its tributaries. Water from these sources is vital for Pakistan’s drinking needs and agricultural sector.
- Indus River system- Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers are Pakistan’s main source of water for tens of millions of people
- Pakistan heavily depends on these water supplies for irrigation, farming, and agricultural use.
- 80% of Pakistan’s cultivated land, which is about 16 million hectares relies on water from the Indus system.
- 93% of water from Indus is used for irrigation, powering the country’s agricultural backbone
- System provides water to more than 237 million people, with Pakistan making up 61% of the population living in the Indus Basin
- Indus River system contributes almost 25% to Pakistan’s GDP, supports the cultivation of key crops such as wheat, rice, sugarcane, and cotton
- Pakistan is already among the most water-stressed countries in the world, and the amount of water available per person is quickly decreasing
- Hydropower plants like Tarbela and Mangla also depend on uninterrupted flows
- Suspension would threaten Pakistan’s food security, creating a severe water crisis
- In brief, the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty would turn Pakistan’s fertile agricultural land into barren areas, worsening the already significant challenges faced by the country’s farming sector.
In the past, India had warned several times that it might review the Indus Water Treaty after certain attacks, but this is the first time it has officially suspended it.
