Indus Waters Treaty

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, arranged and negotiated by the World Bank, to use the water available in the Indus River and its tributaries. It was signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960 by Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani president Ayub Khan. On 23 April 2025, following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, the Government of India suspended the treaty, citing national security concerns and alleging Pakistan’s support of state-sponsored terrorism.

The Treaty gave India control over the waters of the three "Eastern Rivers"—the Beas, Ravi and Sutlej,—which have a total mean annual flow of 41 billion cubic metres. Control over the three "Western Rivers"—the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum—which have a total mean annual flow of 99 billion cubic metres, was given to Pakistan. India received control of 30% of its total water carried by the rivers, while Pakistan received 70%. The treaty allowed India to use the water of Western Rivers for limited irrigation use and unlimited non-consumptive uses such as power generation, navigation, floating of property, fish culture, etc. It laid down detailed regulations for India in building projects over the Western Rivers. The preamble of the treaty recognised the rights and obligations of each country for the optimum water use from the Indus system of rivers in a spirit of cooperation.