Overview

• India has suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 25 tourists and a local pony-rider in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The suspension halts regulated water releases, data sharing, and inspections of Indian hydropower facilities, affecting Pakistan's access to critical water supplies from the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers.
• Pakistan, which relies on the Indus system for 80% of its freshwater, reports declining river levels and unannounced surges in water flows, exacerbating risks to its fragile agrarian economy.
• India’s decade-long push to expand dam and hydropower infrastructure, including projects like Kishanganga and Ratle, has enhanced its capacity to control water flows.
• Experts warn that using water as a strategic tool sets a dangerous precedent, potentially inviting similar actions by other riparian states like China and Bangladesh.