🌊 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT): Strategic Relevance for India-Pakistan Relations

🌊 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT): Strategic Relevance for India-Pakistan Relations

📝 Quick Overview

• Signed: September 19, 1960

• Parties: India and Pakistan

• Mediator: World Bank

• Water Allocation:

  • India: Exclusive rights over eastern rivers – Ravi, Beas, Sutlej

  • Pakistan: Unrestricted use of western rivers – Indus, Jhelum, Chenab

• Objective: Peaceful and cooperative sharing of the Indus River system

🏛️ Historical Resilience and Recent Strains

Despite surviving multiple wars and events like the 2016 Uri attack, the treaty remained intact.

Recent Developments:

• Jan 2023 & Sept 2023: India issued notices for treaty modification

• Why?

  • Changing demographics

  • Climate challenges

  • Renewable energy goals

  • Cross-border terrorism concerns

⚡ Hydroelectric Project Disputes

Pakistan’s objections to:

• Kishanganga Project (on Kishanganga River)

• Ratle Project (on Chenab River)
  Though India followed run-of-the-river principles, Pakistan alleges treaty violations.

⚖️ Legal Framework & Limitations

• No Exit Clause: The IWT is perpetual

• Dispute Redressal Mechanism:

  1. Permanent Indus Commission

  2. Neutral Expert

  3. Court of Arbitration

• No ICJ Jurisdiction: India’s legal stance blocks ICJ involvement

• No Revival Clause: If suspended, the treaty lacks an internal mechanism for reinstatement

🔍 What If the IWT Is Suspended?

🇮🇳 India’s Strategic Leverage:

• Autonomy over western rivers

• Freedom to build reservoirs & hydro-projects

• Cessation of hydrological data sharing

• Project inspections by Pakistan can be denied

⏳ Limitations:

• India lacks the current infrastructure to divert or store large volumes quickly

⚠️ Why It’s Alarming for Pakistan

🌾 Agricultural Dependency:

• 80% of cultivated land uses Indus water

• 93% of this goes to irrigation

🏙️ Urban & Energy Impact:

• Major cities like Karachi, Lahore, Multan rely on the Indus

• Tarbela and Mangla dams need stable flow

📉 Economic Significance:

• Contributes ~25% to GDP

• Critical for wheat, rice, cotton, and sugarcane crops

🚨 Water Stress Crisis:

• Pakistan is among the most water-stressed countries globally

• Per capita availability is falling sharply

✅ Conclusion

The Indus Waters Treaty remains a cornerstone of South Asian water diplomacy. But changing geopolitical realities, environmental concerns, and terrorism-related tensions have reignited the debate over its relevance. Any suspension could reshape regional water security and bilateral relations.

At Vashishth IAS Academy, we help aspirants link such developments with the GS-II syllabus (International Relations) and build strong answers for Mains.