Indus Waters Treaty: asymmetric obligations, unequal concessions, and Pakistan's instrumentalization
via Lefaso.net8 min read
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed on September 19, 1960, between India and Pakistan, governs the distribution of the Indus River system's six major rivers. This system is crucial for drinking water, agriculture, and electricity generation, supporting hundreds of millions of people in both nations. Following the 1947 partition of British India, the river system was also divided. India, as the upstream riparian state, controlled the sources of most rivers, while Pakistan's agricultural heartland in Punjab heavily relied on water flows from the east. Despite its own developmental needs in Punjab and Rajasthan, India agreed to a highly concessional water-sharing agreement, facilitated by the World Bank, to foster stability with its new western neighbor. Negotiations were marked by an asymmetry between India's constructive approach and Pakistan's maximalist demands. An initial World Bank proposal in 1954 required significant unilateral concessions from India, including abandoning planned developments on the upper Indus and Chenab rivers, renouncing approximately 6 million acre-feet MAF from the Chenab, and prohibiting water development in the Kutch region. India accepted this proposal almost immediately, demonstrating a desire for a swift resolution. In contrast, Pakistan delayed its formal acceptance for nearly five years, using this time to develop new uses on the western rivers without equivalent restrictions. This led to the perception that obstruction benefited Pakistan, while
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