The Indus Water Treaty (IWT), a water-sharing arrangement mediated by the World Bank in 1960 and spanning six decades, has been called into question amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan in 2025.
India suspended the pact on April 23, 2025, citing national security concerns and accused Pakistan of supporting state-sponsored terrorism in response to the horrific terror assault in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which was purportedly carried out by a terrorist organization based in Pakistan. The pact had previously endured numerous wars and diplomatic crises without suspension, thus this was an extraordinary action.
With India’s suspension, the treaty was essentially placed “in abeyance,” which prevented transboundary water cooperation from proceeding as usual. In violation of treaty obligations and without informing Pakistan, immediate measures included flushing the reservoirs of the Salal and Baglihar projects during the off-season and halting water flow on the Chenab River from the Baglihar Dam.
This was presented by the Indian government as a “short-term punitive measure.” Relations were further strained when India ceased sharing flood data with Pakistan and denied Pakistani officials the ability to tour sites for hydroelectric projects, even though it acquired more flexibility over the use and control of the western rivers (Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus).
In a harsh response to these events, Pakistan called India’s suspension a “act of war.” In reaction to India’s plans, prominent Pakistani figures, such as politician Bilawal Bhutto and military officer Asim Munir, threatened nuclear war.
In the face of war-mongering rhetoric, Pakistan’s Foreign Office formally pleaded with India to promptly restore the Indus Water Treaty’s regular operations. Pakistan appreciated the recent Court of Arbitration’s interpretation of the requirements for India’s new run-of-river hydropower projects on the western rivers and reaffirmed its commitment to the treaty’s full implementation. This request came despite the heated political and military rhetoric surrounding the conflict, showing the crucial importance both countries place on the treaty for water security.
Following a nuclear war warning from its military chief Asim Munir and a war cry from former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto on India’s stance on the water sharing agreement, Pakistan made the request.
Even as prominent Pakistani politicians have threatened to go to war with India, Pakistan has formally asked India to restore the Indus Waters Treaty’s regular operation after tensions between the two countries escalated in 2025. This development has a complicated background, characterized by major security issues and diplomatic rifts.
A crucial water-sharing arrangement between India and Pakistan was mediated by the World Bank and agreed in 1960 as the Indus Waters Treaty. It controls how water is used from the six rivers that make up the Indus river system, giving India authority over the eastern rivers (Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej) and Pakistan authority over the western rivers (Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum).
Pakistan is steadfast in its commitment to the treaty, even though India suspended it in April 2025 after a terror incident in Pahalgam that was ascribed to militants headquartered in Pakistan. Pakistan’s Foreign Office called on India to scrupulously fulfill its duties under the treaty and to promptly return to the regular operations of the agreement on August 12, 2025.
Pakistan urged that all Indian hydroelectric projects adhere closely to treaty criteria rather than unilateral Indian standards, and it welcomed a recent Court of Arbitration interpretation that was favorable to its unfettered use of water from the western rivers.
However, aggressive rhetoric is causing problems in the diplomatic waters. Bilawal Bhutto, the former foreign minister of Pakistan, claimed that India’s actions had seriously harmed Pakistan and threatened war if India persisted in delaying the treaty.
He emphasized that Pakistanis are “strong enough for war” to regain control of all six rivers and urged them to band together against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pakistan would “take down half the world” if confronted with an existential danger in a clash with India, Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir said the day before, intensifying the dispute with a nuclear war threat. The enormous stakes in the water conflict were further highlighted by his menacing declaration that “ten missiles” would destroy any Indian dams on the Indus system.
Citing national security concerns, India suspended the treaty and charged Pakistan with aiding terrorists. Additionally, it dismissed the Court of Arbitration’s procedures that Pakistan had started, calling them unlawful.
Concerns over future collaboration on transboundary water administration are raised by India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which is unprecedented since the treaty’s signing and represents a dramatic change in India-Pakistan ties.
Experts point out that given the growing water pressures in the area, collaboration over the Indus water resources is essential notwithstanding the suspension.
With war and nuclear threats escalating in the background, Pakistan has made a compelling legal and diplomatic case for treaty adherence, illustrating how water security is intertwined with geopolitical and military concerns in South Asia.
To avoid further deterioration and to guarantee cooperation on vital water supplies that both nations share, the situation requires careful diplomatic management.
