India has taken the significant step of suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan, following the brutal Pahalgam terror attack, a treaty that had governed the use of the Indus River and its tributaries since 1960.

As part of Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) suspension, India has halted the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River and is reportedly preparing to take similar actions at the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum River a report in the ET says..

These dams are run-of-the-river hydroelectric projects located in Jammu and Kashmir-Baglihar in Ramban and Kishanganga near Bandipore-and provide India with the ability to regulate the timing of water releases, although they have limited water storage capacity.

The suspension of the treaty and the stoppage of water flow are seen as punitive measures against Pakistan, which India accuses of supporting cross-border terrorism, a claim Pakistan denies. The move also allows India to build and modify dams on these rivers without consulting Pakistan, which was previously a treaty obligation.

The Baglihar Dam has been a longstanding point of dispute, with Pakistan having sought World Bank arbitration over it in the past, while the Kishanganga Dam has faced legal and diplomatic scrutiny due to its impact on the Neelum River, a tributary of the Jhelum.

India's action marks a major shift, as the Indus Waters Treaty had survived three wars and decades of conflict, being regarded as a rare example of cooperation between the two countries.

However, India now aims to exert pressure for renegotiation of the treaty terms, citing evolving needs for irrigation, drinking water, hydropower, and climate change challenges. Pakistan has condemned the suspension and any attempt to block water flow as an "act of war," escalating tensions further.

India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and the cutting of water flow through the Baglihar Dam represent a strategic and symbolic move in response to terrorism-related hostilities by Jihadi elements in Pak army, with significant implications for bilateral relations and regional water security. India is enhancing its capacity to regulate water release timing at key hydroelectric dams, signalling a new phase of water diplomacy and conflict between the two neighbours.

ET News