China Not a 'Neutral Observer' on India-Pakistan Clash Over IWT

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a landmark water-sharing agreement signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, has long been hailed as one of the most enduring examples of cooperation between two often adversarial neighbors.

- TDG NETWORK

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a landmark water-sharing agreement signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, has long been hailed as one of the most enduring examples of cooperation between two often adversarial neighbors. For over six decades, the treaty survived multiple wars, conflicts, and diplomatic crises, helping regulate the use of the waters of the Indus River system—vital for the agrarian economies and livelihoods on both sides of the border.

However, in April 2024, India made a dramatic decision to suspend the treaty, citing the Pahalgam terror attack as a turning point. This move, viewed by Pakistan as a major breach of trust, has led to renewed tensions between the two nations over control and use of the Indus waters. While both countries remain locked in a fierce dispute, attention has increasingly turned toward China—a staunch ally of Pakistan—and its emerging role in the evolving water politics of the region.