Title: India's Suspension of the Indus Treaty: A Dangerous Shift in Water Politics with Pakistan
- By AP and REUTERS, SRINAGAR, India
Visa cancellations imposed on Indians by Islamabad
India took a bold move yesterday by suspending its 65-year-old agreement with Pakistan on the sharing of waters from the Indus River. Pakistan reacted swiftly, cancelling visas for Indian nationals, closing airspace for Indian-owned airlines, and halting all trade with India.
This retaliatory action is a direct result of India's decision to suspend visas for Pakistani nationals following a deadly attack in Kashmir in which 26 people, primarily tourists, lost their lives. The India-Pakistan relationship hit a new low as the nuclear-armed neighbors exchanged hostile rhetoric, with Pakistani Minister of Energy Awais Lekhari labeling the Indus suspension as an "act of water warfare; a cowardly, illegal move."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to pursue and punish terrorists after identifying two Pakistani shooters involved in the deadly attack. The attack, the worst on civilians in India in nearly two decades, has reportedly strained the fragile peace and intensified tensions between the two nations.
The Indus treaty, negotiated by the World Bank and signed in 1960, has always been a bedrock for water sharing between India and Pakistan. The agreement divided control of the Indus and its tributaries, with India having "unrestricted use" of the three eastern rivers, while Pakistan controlled the three western rivers. However, India's decision to put the treaty "in abeyance" threatens Pakistan's agriculture, which heavily relies on the Indus river system for irrigation, and hydropower generation.
India's unilateral move marks a dangerous shift in the treaty's history, as it has no provision for unilateral termination. While India views this suspension as a justified retaliatory measure, Pakistan sees it as a grave threat to its water security, agriculture, and energy sectors. The Indus river system provides around 80% of Pakistan's water requirements, and any disruption to this flow could have catastrophic consequences for millions of Pakistanis dependent on the Indus waters.
The suspension of the Indus treaty also exposes a critical vulnerability in a region prone to conflicts related to water scarcity. The region is already experiencing increasing competition for the precious resource, with escalating temperatures and shrinking water tables, making cooperation paramount. This latest development between India and Pakistan highlights the urgent need for responsible water governance and signifies troubling prospects for Indo-Pak relations in the future.
Insights:
- The Indus treaty is a critical agreement for sharing the Indus River's waters between India and Pakistan, signed in 1960 and brokered by the World Bank.
- The treaty divided control, with India controlling the three eastern rivers (Beas, Ravi, Sutlej), and Pakistan controlling the three western rivers (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum).
- The Indus treaty is vital as Pakistan depends on 80% of the Indus river system's water for its agriculture and major urban centers.
- India's suspension of the treaty means it will no longer abide by the treaty obligations, and Pakistan's water system faces significant uncertainty due to potential disruption in water supply.
- India views the suspension as a retaliatory measure against Pakistan for cross-border terrorism, while Pakistan perceives it as a threat to its water security.
- The suspension has further intensified tensions between the two countries, heightening the risks in a critical resource-sharing agreement.
- The suspension of visas by Pakistan, the closing of airspace for Indian-owned airlines, and halting all trade with India were responses to India's decision to suspend its water-sharing agreement with Pakistan, known as the Indus Treaty.
- The Indus Treaty, a 65-year-old agreement between India and Pakistan, was suspended by India, causing a downgraded relationship in the General News, Crime and Justice, and war-and-conflicts sections.
- Awais Lekhari, the Pakistani Minister of Energy, labelled India's action as an "act of water warfare; a cowardly, illegal move."
- The suspension of the Indus treaty exposes a critical vulnerability in a region prone to conflicts related to water scarcity, highlighting the urgent need for responsible water governance and appropriate political management to avoid further escalation.
