Indus Water Treaty: The Indus Waters Treaty governs the use and distribution of the waters of the six rivers of the Indus basin – Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej – between India and Pakistan.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari threatened and challenged India on the matter of the Indus Water Treaty. Bhutto said, “Dariya mein ya toh hamara ‘paani’ bahega, ya phir unka (India) ‘khoon’.” Bhutto’s reaction came after the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. On April 23, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced a series of strong measures in response, including the abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty “with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irreversibly abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.
“India has blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam tragedy. To hide its weaknesses and fool its people, Modi has made false allegations and has unilaterally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, under which India has acknowledged that the Indus belongs to Pakistan. I would like to stand here in Sukkur by the Indus and tell India that the Indus is ours and the Indus will remain ours, whether water flows in this Indus or their blood,” Bhutto posted on X.
India notifies Pakistan about ‘Indus Water Treaty’ suspension
India has formally notified Pakistan in writing about the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty. Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Devashree Mukherjee, has informed the Secretary of Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources, Syed Ali Murtaza, of the Indian government’s decision through a letter. India has issued a notice for changes in the treaty. The letter states that the Indian government has given notice to the Pakistani government for amendments to the treaty.
The notice mentions that several fundamental aspects of the treaty have changed and require reconsideration. Population changes, the development of clean energy, and various factors related to water distribution, as outlined in the treaty, have occurred. Any treaty should be implemented in good faith, but Pakistan is promoting cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. This is about the Government of India’s notices sent to the Government of Pakistan, seeking modification of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 (the Treaty) under Article XII(3) of the Treaty. These communications cite fundamental changes in the circumstances that have occurred since the Treaty was executed, which require a reassessment of obligations under the various Articles of the Treaty, read in conjunction with its Annexures.
These changes include significantly altered population demographics, the need to accelerate the development of clean energy, and other adjustments to the assumptions underlying the sharing of waters under the Treaty. The obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental to a treaty. However, what we have seen instead is sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The resulting security uncertainties have directly impeded India’s full utilisation of its rights under the Treaty. Furthermore, apart from other breaches committed by it, Pakistan has refused to respond to India’s request to enter into negotiations as envisaged under the Treaty and is thus in breach of the Treaty.
The Government of India has hereby decided that the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect. Following the Centre’s announcement to suspend the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil chaired a series of meetings on April 24 to expedite the implementation of the decision, as directed by the Prime Minister. The Indian government has taken significant steps following the cowardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The government has temporarily suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.
This decision was made at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) held on April 23, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Under this treaty, the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab) are allocated to Pakistan, while the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) are allocated to India.
