By Sushant Agarwal
Published on | Apr 25, 2025
India suspends Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan after Pahalgam terror attack, escalating tensions between the two nations.
Signed in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty split the Indus basin rivers between India and Pakistan, ensuring peaceful cooperation for over 60 years.
India gets Ravi, Beas & Sutlej; Pakistan receives Indus, Jhelum & Chenab, gaining nearly 80% of the Indus Basin's water flow.
Despite wars and terror attacks, India respected the treaty—releasing data, maintaining flows, and never suspending water-sharing, until now.
Pakistan's agriculture, drinking water, and hydropower rely heavily on the Indus River system. Punjab and Sindh provinces are particularly dependent.
India's suspension halts data sharing and lean-season flow releases, but water diversion is limited due to low storage capacity.
Pakistan called the move an “Act of War.” Officials warned it would seriously threaten national food security and destabilize rural livelihoods.
With 68% of rural Pakistan dependent on farming, experts say erratic water supply could crush crop yields, increase costs, and spark food inflation.
Pakistan already faces groundwater depletion, water mismanagement, and poor storage infrastructure. The treaty suspension magnifies these weaknesses.
Without treaty flows, Pakistan risks ecological, social, and economic strain; it may turn to diplomacy and legal options next.