Subhechcha Ganguly 
In a bold and unprecedented move, India on Wednesday suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, a day after 26 people, including tourists, were killed in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The suspension marks one of the five punitive steps taken by New Delhi in direct response to the terror strike, sending a strong signal to Islamabad over its alleged support for cross-border terrorism.
The Indus River system consists of the main Indus River and its five key tributaries — Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Jhelum, and Chenab. While the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej are classified as Eastern rivers, the Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus form the Western river group. These waters are vital for both nations, especially for Pakistan, which is largely dependent on the Indus system for agriculture and drinking water.
Former Indus Water Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Saxena stated that India, being the upper riparian country, has multiple options at its disposal. “This could be the first step towards complete abrogation of the Treaty,” he said, adding that though the Treaty doesn’t explicitly allow cancellation, Article 62 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties permits withdrawal under fundamental change in circumstances.
India has already issued a formal notice last year to seek review and modification of the 1960 Treaty. With the suspension in effect, India is no longer bound to follow certain restrictions — including those on “reservoir flushing” and regulated reservoir filling for projects like the Kishanganga Dam in Jammu and Kashmir.
Experts warn that this move could drastically impact Pakistan’s water availability, potentially heightening regional tensions. The decision underscores India’s shift toward leveraging strategic assets in response to terrorism, raising concerns over the future of one of the world’s most successful water-sharing agreements.
