00:00Over six decades, India honoured the Indus Waters Treaty, through wars, through terror attacks, through every provocation.
00:10But April 2025, after yet another terror attack, India puts the treaty in abeyance.
00:17Why? Because there is only so much patience in the world and India's was running on empty.
00:24Let's take a deep dive into the Indus Waters Treaty.
00:30The Indus Water System comprises the main Indus River, Jhelum, Chinab, Ravi, Bias and Sutlej.
00:41The basin is mainly shared by India and Pakistan, with a small share for China and Afghanistan.
00:48The Indus Water System begins from a glacier near Bukharchu in the Kailash Mountain range, close to Lake Mansur over on the Tibetan Plateau.
00:56From its source, the river flows northwest, entering India at Demchok in Ladakh, where it traverses the regions of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
01:08After passing through these Indian territories, the Indus enters Pakistan and then descends into the plains of Punjab and Sindh.
01:17Along its course in Pakistan, the river receives major tributaries, supporting vast agricultural and population centers.
01:26Ultimately, the Indus River empties into the Arabian Sea near Karachi.
01:31Ravi, Bias and Sutlej rivers flow from Himachal Pradesh and Punjab and enters Pakistan's Punjab.
01:40Jhelum flows from Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and then into Pakistan.
01:46Chinab flows from Himachal and then enters Jammu and then into Pakistan's Punjab.
01:51The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 to resolve disputes between India and Pakistan over the shearing of the Indus River waters, which intensified after the 1947 partition.
02:09The partition left India controlling the headwaters and Pakistan dependent on downstream flows.
02:14When the standstill agreement on 1st April 1948 ended, India cut off canal supplies to Pakistan.
02:21It restored the supply only after an interim inter-dominion accord on 4th May 1948.
02:29But the accusations continued, with Pakistan alleging water cuts in 1951.
02:34Pakistan escalated the water issue to the United Nations in 1951, blaming India for interrupting water supply.
02:41At this point, World Bank stepped in and proposed a water-sharing formula in 1954.
02:49As negotiations between the two countries repeatedly stalled over competing claims and fears of economic ruin, especially in Pakistan's agricultural heartland,
02:58after years of negotiations, the treaty was signed in 1960 to provide a clear, cooperative framework.
03:05Brokered by the World Bank, the Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 in Karachi
03:13by the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani President Ayub Khan.
03:18Under the Indus Waters Treaty, India signed away 80% of the Indus river system's waters to Pakistan.
03:36The rivers originate in India, but the lion's share flows to a neighbour who seems far more interested in sending us cross-border terrorists than thank you notes.
03:46India gets unrestricted use of the three eastern rivers, Ravi, Bias and Satlaj.
03:51On the other hand, Pakistan gets the three western rivers, Indus, Jhelum and Chinab.
03:58Under this treaty, waters of eastern rivers averaging around 33 million acre-feet were allocated to India, the upper riparian country.
04:07The waters of western rivers averaging to around 135 million acre-feet were allocated to Pakistan for all purposes,
04:14including irrigation, drinking water and hydropower.
04:18And these rivers are the lifeline for Pakistan's agriculture, cities and economy.
04:25But India has also been given the right on the western rivers for irrigation and to generate hydroelectricity through run-of-the-river projects.
04:33After the end of the transition period, as was mentioned in the Indus Waters Treaty,
04:40Pakistan no longer has any claim or right to releases by India of any of the waters of the eastern rivers.
04:49The treaty also included setting up a permanent Indus Commission,
04:53a bilateral body that consists of officials, known as Indus Commissioners, from both countries
04:58and is tasked with implementing and managing the provisions of the treaty.
05:01The commission serves as the primary channel for cooperation, information exchange and conflict resolution
05:07regarding the use and development of the Indus river system.
05:11Among the major dams on the eastern rivers are Bhakra Dam on Satlej River in Himachal Pradesh,
05:28one of India's largest multi-purpose dams, crucial for irrigation and hydropower.
05:34Pong Dam on Bias River in Himachal Pradesh is another project used for major storage and hydroelectricity.
05:40On the western rivers, India has Salal Dam on Chinab River in Jammu and Kashmir,
05:46a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project.
05:49Others include 850-megawatt Rattel hydroelectric project on Chinab in Jammu and Kashmir
05:54and 330-megawatt Kishan Ganga hydroelectric project on the tributary of Jhelum in Kashmir.
06:01On the western side, projects like Rattel and Kashmir Ganga have been flashpoints not because
06:07they break the treaty but because apparently Pakistan prefers its water undisturbed and does
06:14not want India to generate a few megawatts.
06:19Pakistan had protested over the project saying that it will disrupt its water supplies.
06:24In 2015, Pakistan requested the appointment of a neutral expert to address its concerns
06:29over the two hydropower projects.
06:31But it backtracked from its position in 2016 and called for a court of arbitration instead.
06:39In a big win for India on 20 January 2025, neutral expert Michel Lino appointed under the Indus
06:45Waters Treaty ruled that he is competent to decide on the issues regarding the Kishan Ganga
06:51and Rattel hydroelectric projects.
07:00India, on 23 April 2025, after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, put the treaty in abeyance.
07:07What does this mean?
07:08Well, in simple language, no more water flow data to Pakistan, no more design restrictions
07:13on Indian projects, India can now create storage on western rivers, flush reservoirs and yes,
07:20even stopped those inspection tours by Pakistani officials.
07:24While India has not completely stopped the flow of western rivers' waters, it has already
07:30closed all the gates of the Bagdihar Dam on the Chinab and is planning similar regulatory
07:35actions at the Kishan Ganga Dam on the Jhelum.
07:38The World Bank, once the treaty's referee, is now just a spectator.
07:42With the treaty in abeyance, its powers are well abeyant.
07:46The World Bank president, Ajay Banga, has recently said, and I'm quoting him,
07:51we have no role to play beyond a facilitator.
08:00Now let's look at the Tulbul navigation project.
08:03India wanted to build a navigation lock at Vula Lake in Kashmir to keep Jhelum navigable
08:08in winters.
08:10Pakistan cried storage facility.
08:12He said it violated the treaty and the project was mothballed.
08:16The facts?
08:17The barrage would regulate outflow, not store water.
08:20Non-consumptive use, like navigation, is allowed.
08:24But why would Pakistan let facts get in the way?
08:27Maybe it's time to dust off those blueprints and restart Tulbul, a project which was halted
08:34in 1987.
08:41And now, Pakistan has written a letter to India urging it to reconsider the decision on the
08:47Indus Waters Treaty.
08:49Apparently, when the taps might turn off, even the loudest critics find new respect for dialogue
08:56and cooperation.
08:58Who knew?
08:58Pakistan's Ministry of Water Resources said that suspending the treaty would trigger a
09:04crisis in the country.
09:06India, on the other hand, has remained firm, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi sending a
09:12clear message to Islamabad that water and blood cannot flow together and any dialogue will
09:18be contingent on Pakistan, ending its support for cross-border terrorism.
09:23So what should India do next?
09:37Simple.
09:38Build more storage on the western rivers.
09:41Modernize existing dams for better flood control and power generation.
09:45Why?
09:45Because water is security, and after 60 years of one-sided generosity, it's time India put
09:52its own interests first.
10:00And if India keeps the taps off, Pakistan faces drought, crop failures and urban water crisis.
10:07For a country that's used to blaming India for every drop, that's a scary prospect.
10:13Maybe, just maybe, it's time for some real cooperation, and not just complains.
10:18For over 60 years, India gave more than it got.
10:22It's time for fairness, not favors.
10:24The Indus-Waters Treaty was never about aggression.
10:28But it's time now for a new deal.
10:30One that forces Pakistan to stop its state-sponsored terrorism against India.
10:43For tourists, when It's the proper place of Pakistan, trying to get to Japan if it'srir form unsur girl or whether the
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