What is the Indus Water Treaty? Check the history and significance of this agreement

Kanwal Sibal, who is currently the Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and also a former Indian Ambassador to Russia, recently shared his views on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) following the terror attack in Pahalgam. In his post, he suggested that India should consider a strong response against Pakistan, including putting the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on hold.

It it time to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty indefinitely as a truly meaningful response to the latest terrorist outrage in Pahalgam instigated by Pakistan.

We have earlier said that blood and water can’t go together. Let’s act on our own declared position .

This will be a…

— Kanwal Sibal (@KanwalSibal) April 22, 2025

Sibal, who also served as India’s Foreign Secretary during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's time as Prime Minister, said it’s the right moment for India to take action. He believes suspending the IWT would send a clear and powerful message. Referring to past Indian statements, he reminded people that "blood and water cannot flow together, meaning it doesn’t make sense to maintain peaceful agreements while facing acts of violence.

So, now let’s understand what the Indus Water Treaty is.

What is the Indus Water Treaty, 1960?

Imagine two neighbours, India and Pakistan, needing to share water from a big river system – the Indus and its connected rivers. Back in 1960, they made a formal agreement, called the Indus Waters Treaty, to decide who gets what. The World Bank helped them work out the details, which took quite a while – nine years of talks! Even today, many people see this treaty as one of the better examples of countries successfully agreeing on how to share water, especially given the often-tense relationship between India and Pakistan.

Also Checkout: History of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK)

What is the significance of the Indus Water Treaty?

1. Peaceful Water Sharing: For over six decades, the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) has been crucial in facilitating peaceful water sharing between India and Pakistan, even during times of heightened political and military tensions.
2. Unique Regional Agreement: The IWT stands as the only cross-border water-sharing agreement between two nations in Asia, highlighting a significant instance of regional cooperation.
3. Favourable to Downstream Nation: Uniquely, the treaty favours Pakistan, the downstream country, granting it access to approximately 80% of the Indus River system's waters. This allocation is remarkably high—nearly 90 times more than what Mexico receives under its 1944 water treaty with the U.S.
4. Resilience During Conflicts: The Permanent Indus Commission, the body responsible for resolving disputes, continued its functions even during the wars of 1965 and 1971, demonstrating the resilience of the treaty framework.  
5. India's Commitment: Despite facing multiple terror attacks, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack, India has not withdrawn from the treaty. It has also not invoked the Vienna Convention, underscoring its commitment to international agreements.
6. Global Model for Cooperation: The treaty is often cited globally as a successful model for water cooperation between rival nations, showcasing how dialogue and legal frameworks can effectively manage shared natural resources. 

Why Did They Need a Treaty Anyway?

When British India was divided into India and Pakistan in 1947, the Indus River system, which flows through both countries (originating in Tibet and also touching Afghanistan and China), immediately became a point of potential conflict. Who controls the water? Who gets how much?

Things got tricky early on. India briefly stopped water flow to Pakistan in 1948. Later, Pakistan complained to the United Nations (UN) that India wasn't letting enough water through. The UN suggested getting help, which led to the World Bank stepping in to mediate. After years of negotiation, India's Prime Minister Nehru and Pakistan's President Ayub Khan finally signed the agreement in 1960.

How Does the Water Sharing Work?

The treaty essentially split the six main rivers of the Indus system:

1. India got primary control over the three eastern rivers:
• Ravi
• Beas
• Sutlej
• India can use the water from these rivers freely.
2. Pakistan got primary control over the three western rivers:
• Indus
• Chenab
• Jhelum

• Now, it's not quite that simple. India is still allowed to use some water from the western rivers for things like basic domestic needs, farming, and generating electricity, but only in ways that don't significantly stop the water from flowing on to Pakistan.
• Overall, the split works out to Pakistan getting the lion's share (around 80%) of the total water and India getting about 20%.
• To handle disagreements, they created a permanent committee (the Permanent Indus Commission) with people from both countries. Think of it as a dedicated team to talk through problems and try to find solutions.
• They also agreed to try their best not to cause flood damage to each other when building things like dams or flood defences.

What were the challenges before the Indus Water Treaty was signed?

Many challenges arose before the treaty was signed. All challenges were mentioned below: 

• Building Projects: Both countries have questioned projects built by the other. Pakistan raised objections to India's Kishenganga and Ratle hydro projects. India, in turn, has objected to a Pakistani drainage project that affects Indian territory. These often involve technical details about dam designs and water flow, sometimes requiring outside experts or the World Bank to weigh in.
• Political Tensions: When relations between India and Pakistan get strained (like after major security incidents), the treaty often comes up in discussions. Some in India feel the treaty is too generous to Pakistan and have suggested rethinking it, especially when accusing Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism. The phrase "blood and water cannot flow together" has been used to signal this frustration.
• Using the Water: An interesting point is that India hasn't always used its full share of water from the eastern rivers it controls. Some of this water ends up flowing into Pakistan unused. Following some tense incidents, India announced plans to build more infrastructure (like the Shahpurkandi and Ujh projects and a new Ravi-Beas link) to capture and use this water within India for its own farmers and power generation.

So why is Kanwal Sibal calling for a pause in the Indus Water Treaty?

The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, outlines how the river waters between India and Pakistan are to be shared. According to the agreement, India has control over the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—while Pakistan gets the waters from the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.

Although it may seem balanced, the treaty benefits Pakistan more, as it receives about 80% of the total water flow. These rivers are vital for agriculture in Pakistan, especially in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh.

Returning to Sibal’s post, he also mentioned that India might find support from the United States on this issue. The attack happened during a visit by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and with Donald Trump back in office, Sibal feels the American leadership may be more aligned with India's concerns on terrorism.

He also believes that this move could send a strong signal not only to Pakistan but to other neighbouring countries like Bangladesh. Sibal pointed out that both Trump and Vance have tough views on terrorism, especially those linked to extremist ideologies.

Conclusion

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), signed in 1960, is often seen as a rare success in India-Pakistan relations, but it remains under scrutiny, especially during times of terror-related tensions. Former diplomat Kanwal Sibal has suggested suspending the treaty as a strategic response to Pakistan's alleged support for terrorism, arguing that "blood and water cannot flow together."

While Pakistan receives 80% of the Indus water under the treaty, India has not fully utilised its share from the eastern rivers. Calls to rethink or pause the treaty gain momentum after attacks like the one in Pahalgam, but any move to alter the IWT must weigh legal complexities, international consequences, and regional stability.

Changing the treaty could impact India's relations with neighbouring countries, challenge global diplomatic norms, and provoke reactions from China, which controls upstream sources. Thus, while politically symbolic, suspending the IWT is a strategic decision with far-reaching implications.