The Indian Government has announced many stringent measures that it has decided to take against Pakistan because of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam,
Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025. Leaders from across the world have condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. One of the main measures taken by India is suspension of the landmark Indus Waters Treaty 1960 (“Treaty”) with Pakistan. “The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism”, said an Indian government official.
About The Indus River System
The Indus system comprises the main river, Indus, and five left bank tributaries, i.e Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Jhelum, and Chenab. The Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej are called the Eastern Rivers, while the Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus are known as the Western Rivers. The water from these rivers is very important for both India and Pakistan. India is called the upper riparian because it is located upstream, where the rivers begin, while Pakistan is the lower riparian, downstream from India. This means India is in a position to control how much water flows down to Pakistan.
What is the Indus Treaty?
The Treaty is an official agreement that was signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan to document the understanding between the two countries on how to distribute and share the water from the Indus River and its branches. The Indus river and its branches flow through both countries, and after India and Pakistan became separate nations in 1947, there were problems about who could use the water. To solve this, the World Bank helped India and Pakistan sign the Treaty to share the waters of the cross-border rivers. This Treaty is very important because millions of people in both countries rely on these rivers for water and food.
According to the Treaty:
- India gets control of three rivers called the Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) and can use all their water.
- Pakistan gets control of the three Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab), which carry most of the water.
- India is allowed to use the Western Rivers for generating hydroelectric power and for limited agricultural purposes, but it cannot construct infrastructure that blocks or diverts the flow of water from these rivers into Pakistan
That Treaty withstood three wars between India and Pakistan – in 1965, 1971, and
1999.
What does the suspension of the treaty mean?
The suspension of the Treaty means that there is a threat to Pakistan from India that it could, if and when it chooses to, restrict the flow of water from the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab into Pakistan. The decision to suspend the Treaty is likely to have a big impact on Pakistan.
How will this impact Pakistan?
The Indus River system is Pakistan’s main source of water supporting tens of millions of people. This network provides about 23% of the country’s water for farming, which is vital because agriculture supports 68% of people living in rural areas. Due to the suspension of the Treaty, there could be less water available, which would make it harder for farmers to grow food and could cause food shortages. Pakistan already has problems with managing water, like running out of groundwater and not having enough places to store water, so losing river water would make things even tougher for people living in the countryside.
Other Measures taken by the Indian government
The Indian Government has also closed off the main border crossing linking the two countries, Attari-Wagah crossing. This includes suspending the movement of people and goods. The Indian Government has also ordered expulsion of diplomats and for certain Pakistani visa holders to leave India.