Editorial
In a significant escalation of tensions, India on Wednesday suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan, a water-sharing agreement that has endured for over six decades. The move follows a deadly attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where 26 tourists lost their lives. India has blamed Pakistan for orchestrating the attack, a claim Islamabad strongly denies.
Alongside the suspension of the treaty, India summoned Pakistan’s senior diplomat in New Delhi and declared all Pakistani defence advisers in the mission as persona non grata, giving them a week to leave the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also called an all-party meeting to brief political leaders on the government’s response.
Pakistan has rejected the allegations and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives. Officials in Islamabad have also dismissed reports of the IWT’s termination as speculative, noting that the treaty — brokered by the World Bank in 1960 — cannot be unilaterally revoked by either side.
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The Indus Waters Treaty is often cited as one of the most resilient international agreements, having survived wars and geopolitical crises between the two countries. It divides the rivers of the Indus Basin between the two nations and includes mechanisms for cooperation and dispute resolution through the Permanent Indus Commission.
According to the World Bank, its role in the treaty is procedural, particularly in nominating neutral experts or arbitrators when requested. While India’s suspension of the treaty marks a dramatic policy shift, it remains to be seen whether this action will lead to formal termination — a move that could trigger regional and legal challenges under international frameworks.
