India suspends Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan

India on Wednesday suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan, a day after 26 people including tourists were gunned down in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's (J&K's) Pahalgam, popularly known as "mini-Switzerland."

- BY S VENKAT NARAYAN

The move is among five big punitive moves taken by New Delhi against Islamabad in the wake of the terror attacks. ?This marks a significant escalation in bilateral tensions following a deadly militant attack in Kashmir.

The Indus system comprises the main river, Indus, and five left bank tributaries: Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Jhelum, and Chenab. Kabul, the right bank tributary, does not flow through India.

The Ravi, the Beas, and the Sutlej are together called Eastern rivers while the Chenab, the Jhelum and the Indus are called Western Rivers. Its waters are critical to both India and Pakistan.

This treaty, established in 1960, has been a cornerstone of water-sharing arrangements between the two nations, governing the allocation of the Indus River system’s waters.

The treaty has been a cornerstone of India-Pakistan relations. Its suspension may exacerbate diplomatic tensions.?

Pakistan has condemned the suspension, viewing it as an act of “water warfare,” and is preparing an official response.

India’s suspension of the treaty removes restrictions on its use of the western rivers (Jhelum, Chenab, and Indus), potentially reducing water flow into Pakistan.

Pakistan is highly reliant on the Indus River system for its water needs:?

Approximately 80% of Pakistan’s cultivated land—about 16 million hectares—depends on water from the Indus system.

The Indus River contributes to nearly 90% of Pakistan's food production and supports around 25% of its GDP. Farming and animal husbandry, sustained by the Indus, provide livelihoods for about 65% of the population.

The river system supports over 237 million people in both countries.

Pakistan accounts for 61% of the Indus Basin population.