Javed Iqbal
Suspension of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) had been on India’s agenda since 2001, when it first threatened Pakistan to revisit the treaty on the pretext of a terrorist attack on its Parliament House.
All these years, India kept finding chances to revisit the treaty, using various excuses ever since. Indian authorities continuously built pressure on Pakistan not through threats but also by building five dams on the Chenab, Jhelum, Neelum and Ravi rivers. These dams are part of India’s efforts to utilise Pakistan’s share of water decided under IWT. Despite Pakistan’s genuine concerns about potential impacts on its agriculture and water security, the Indian regime, rooted in Hindutva ideology, enacted its plan. Hence, the IWT, once quoted as the most durable water agreement between two arch-rival nations, was unilaterally suspended in April 2025. The suspension is not only a sheer violation of international laws but also has deeper strategic implications for Pakistan and the region as well. Indian authorities, since then, have intensified their hydro-terror against Pakistan. The construction of the 260-megawatt (MW) Dulhasti Stage -II hydro project is the latest case in point.
In the light of International law, IWT is an International transboundary water sharing mechanism that guarantees equitable and reasonable utilisation of water. The Indus water treaty bound member countries to jointly work to manage shared water resources, and in case of any difference, exercise restraint from unilateral suspension. But unfortunately, India did not follow it.
Pakistan responded to India’s suspension of the IWT with a two-pronged strategy, tackling the issue diplomatically and legally. Pakistan approached the Permanent Court of Arbitration and secured a favourable ruling that affirmed the treaty’s binding nature for both countries. Besides this, the 1997 UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses supports Pakistan’s stance, emphasising fair use and no harm to neighbouring countries sharing water resources. Last but not least, the UN Water Convention and Helsinki Rules also guide transboundary water cooperation.
In addition to the legal victory, Pakistan’s stance on India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Water Treaty was also endorsed by the Foreign media. The National Interest, a US online publication’s latest article, reflects a deeper transformation in South Asia’s water politics. The author highlights how the IWT experienced unprecedented strain from India. While explaining strategic and regional implications of the erosion of the treaty, it was also argued that Indian weaponisation of water has permanently jeopardised the stability of the region.
India’s decision to leverage upstream may benefit in the short term. In the long run, their decisions have placed the South Asian region in a permanently unstable position.
The writer is a freelance columnist and contributes regularly on issues concerning national security.
