Sat Apr 26 02:40:00 UTC 2025: ## India Suspends Indus Waters Treaty After Terror Attack; Can it Block River Flow to Pakistan?
**New Delhi/ Islamabad** – Following a recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, India has suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, raising concerns about potential water disputes between the two nations. The treaty, a landmark agreement on sharing the waters of the Indus river system, has survived several periods of conflict. However, India’s move, one of several retaliatory actions against Pakistan for alleged support of terrorism (a claim Pakistan denies), has sparked a tense standoff.
The treaty allocates the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) to India and the majority (80%) of the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab) to Pakistan. Pakistan, whose agriculture and hydropower heavily rely on the Indus basin, views India’s action as a potential act of war.
While India has long advocated for a review of the treaty citing changing needs (irrigation, hydropower, and climate change impacts), the suspension marks a significant escalation. Experts, however, question India’s ability to completely block the flow of the western rivers to Pakistan, citing a lack of sufficient infrastructure for large-scale water diversion. Current infrastructure primarily supports smaller hydropower projects, not massive water storage and redirection.
India’s current capacity to utilize even its allocated share of the western rivers is limited. While India has plans for new dams and water storage projects, their progress remains limited, hampered by both internal opposition and logistical challenges. Experts suggest that India might instead manipulate existing infrastructure to subtly alter the river flow, potentially impacting Pakistan during the crucial summer months when water scarcity is already prevalent.
The suspension also raises concerns about the sharing of hydrological data, crucial for flood prediction and water management. Pakistan alleges that India has already been sharing significantly less data than stipulated by the treaty. The potential for India to use water as a weapon, releasing stored water unexpectedly causing devastating downstream flooding, also looms large. However, experts note that any such action would also pose risks to India due to the proximity of its dams to the border and risk of downstream damage to its own population.
The situation mirrors similar tensions in other river basins in the region. China’s actions on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) river, seen by some as tacit support for Pakistan, further highlight the complex geopolitical dimensions of water sharing in South Asia. The current standoff underscores the delicate balance between water security and regional stability in a water-stressed region.
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