On April 24, 2025, India’s sudden and unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) jolted the foundations of regional stability and transboundary water diplomacy. The move, officially framed as a retaliatory response to the tragic Pahalgam incident of two days earlier, was more than a symbolic gesture.

It marked a watershed moment in the history of South Asia’s most critical water-sharing agreement—one that has functioned for over six decades as a buffer against hot war, a framework for peaceful negotiation, and a model for international cooperation. For Pakistan, a country overwhelmingly dependent on the Indus River system, the stakes could not be higher.

The decision threatens not only the equitable distribution of a vital natural resource but also Pakistan’s economic integrity, food security, and internal cohesion. In addition, India’s blatant suspension of a sanctified treaty was a proof that all earlier actions to somehow jeopordise Pakistan’s water re-source was in fact a prelude to its present conduct and a part of its belligerence towards all of its negotiations.

Since its signing in 1960 under the auspices of the World Bank, the Indus Waters Treaty has been regarded as one of the most successful and durable international agreements in modern history. It divides control of six rivers—allocating the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) to India and the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab) to Pakistan. This arrangement has withstood wars, crises, and prolonged diplomatic freeze.

The treaty also established the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), a forum for technical exchanges and dispute resolution, supported by a three-tier settlement mechanism that includes neutral experts and arbitration. Unfortunately, India’s suspension of the treaty bypasses these institutional mechanisms, undermining both the letter and the spirit of the agreement.

It erodes long-standing norms of international water law, particularly the principles of equitable utilization, no significant harm, and prior notification.........

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