Indus Water Treaty: India on Wednesday cancelled the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack. The move was one of the five major decisions taken during a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Let us know all the facts about the Indus Water Treaty that you need to know.
What is the Indus Water Treaty?
The Indus Water Treaty (IWT), signed between India and Pakistan on September 19, 1960, is considered a prime example of cross-border water sharing. It was brokered by the World Bank after nine years of negotiations and signed by India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan’s president Ayub Khan to manage shared rivers.
How does the Indus Water Treaty work?
As per the agreement, India has control over the eastern rivers- Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, while Pakistan gets water from the western rivers- Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. Though this may seem balanced, Pakistan benefits more from this treaty as it gets about 80% of the total water flow. These rivers are important for agriculture in Pakistan, especially in Punjab and Sindh provinces.
The treaty laid down a framework for fair and cooperative management of the Indus river system, which is essential for agriculture, drinking water, and industry in both India and Pakistan. It outlined clear guidelines for equitable sharing of the river and its tributaries to ensure that both countries could meet their water needs. The treaty gave India control over the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—while Pakistan was given the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. However, both countries are allowed limited use of rivers assigned to each other for specific purposes such as irrigation and power generation.
Why was the treaty needed?
When British India was partitioned in 1947, the Indus river system – which begins in Tibet and flows through both India and Pakistan, also touching parts of Afghanistan and China – became a source of tension. In 1948, India temporarily blocked the flow of water to Pakistan, leading Pakistan to raise the issue before the United Nations. The UN recommended the involvement of a neutral third party, prompting the World Bank to intervene.
After years of negotiations, the Indus Waters Treaty was finally signed in 1960 by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani President Ayub Khan to peacefully manage and share the vital river system.
What impact will the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty have on Pakistan?
The suspension of the treaty would have significant impact on Pakistan, as the agreement governs the use and allocation of water from the Indus river system and its tributaries, which is essential for Pakistan’s water needs and agricultural sector.
The Indus river network, which includes the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers, serves as Pakistan’s major water resource, supporting a population of hundreds of millions. Pakistan is heavily dependent on this water supply for irrigation, agriculture and drinking water.
The agricultural sector contributes 23% to Pakistan’s national income and supports 68% of its rural residents. The Indus basin supplies 154.3 million acre-feet of water annually, which is vital for irrigating vast agricultural areas and ensuring food security.
Any disruption in water flow would significantly impact Pakistan’s agriculture sector, which is a vital component of its economy and rural livelihoods. Decreased water availability is likely to result in reduced crop yields, food shortages, and economic instability in agriculture-dependent rural areas.
Pakistan is already facing serious water management issues such as groundwater depletion, salinization of agricultural land, and limited water storage capacity. The country’s water storage capacity is low, with the combined storage of major dams like Mangla and Tarbela being only 14.4 MAF, which is merely 10% of Pakistan’s annual water share under the treaty.
These vulnerabilities will be further exacerbated by the reduction in guaranteed water supplies caused by this suspension, leaving Pakistan with fewer options to manage its water needs.
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