The decades-old Indus Waters Treaty has once again come under international spotlight amid ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India that continue to mold regional diplomacy. Pakistan has reiterated that the landmark agreement cannot be suspended unilaterally. It has also termed water security a matter of national survival and called upon the international community to uphold the legal framework of the treaty.

This new focus comes after India said it was suspending the Indus Waters Treaty in the wake of the April 2025 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir which New Delhi attributed to Pakistan. The move halted several cooperative mechanisms under the treaty including regular data sharing and some bilateral engagements on river management. Pakistan has rejected India’s position and said the pact remains legally binding.

Pakistani officials, speaking at a seminar in Islamabad attended by water experts, diplomats, policymakers and academics, stressed the strategic importance of the 1960 treaty. The agreement, negotiated with the help of the World Bank, regulates the sharing and control of the Indus River system between the two neighbouring countries, and has survived several periods of political and military tension.

Officials also said the treaty is vital to Pakistan’s agriculture, food security and water supplies, with millions of people dependent on the Indus River system for their livelihoods. They cautioned that failure to reach an agreement on the deal could have far-reaching humanitarian and economic consequences.

Analysts believe the future of the Indus Waters Treaty will remain a critical issue for regional stability as diplomatic exchanges continue. Dialogue, international mediation or legal mechanisms are increasingly being pushed as ways to resolve water disputes between the two countries, while also guaranteeing the long-term sustainability of one of South Asia’s most vital shared resources.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)