For over six decades, the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) has stood as a remarkable testament to diplomatic resilience. Concluded in 1960 after years of painstaking negotiation brokered by the World Bank, the accord survived multiple wars, severe political crises and perpetual diplomatic friction between Pakistan and India. It has functioned far beyond a mere water-sharing arrangement; it has served as a strategic confidence building mechanism that insulated humanitarian and environmental cooperation from deep seated political hostility. Today, however, that historic framework faces an unprecedented existential threat. India’s unilateral decision to place the Treaty in abeyance last year dismantles this stabilising architecture. India is transforming what was once a cooperative framework into a potential vector for regional confrontation.

At its core, the integrity of international law rests upon the fundamental premise that legally binding commitments cannot be suspended or held in any kind of abeyance unilaterally. By disregarding this principle, India undermines the credibility of the........

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