In a significant geopolitical development, India is weighing a plan to divert more water from the Indus river system which is primarily designated for Pakistan’s use amid rising tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The decision comes after the April 22 Kashmir terror attack that claimed 26 lives, which India has blamed on Pakistan-sponsored terror groups.

India has already suspended 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a historic pact that has weathered several wars. Government officials informed Reuters that they are instructed to expedite water-infrastructure projects that would allow India to accelerate its authority over rivers flowing into Pakistan. Among the most important proposals is the doubling of the length of the Ranbir canal on the Chenab River. India is permitted to draw a limited amount of water from the Chenab for irrigation, but an expanded canal would allow it to divert 150 cubic meters of water per second, up from about 40 cubic meters currently. New Delhi is also preparing blueprints to expand hydropower production in Jammu and Kashmir from the existing 3,360 megawatts to almost 12,000 MW, internal government reports cited by Reuters reveal. Plans are also being considered for big dams on Chenab and Jhelum river tributaries, a strategic move for India's use of the Indus system for water storage, something that has never before been attempted under the treaty's limitations. Though the Indian ministries responsible for water and foreign affairs, as well as PM's office, did not respond to this yet.

Delhi Justifies Suspension, Says Terrorism and Cooperation Cannot Coexist

PM Modi said in a speech this week that "water and blood cannot flow together," though he didn't refer to the treaty. Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters Tuesday that India "will keep the treaty in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism".

Pakistan has said that it is preparing legal action in several international forums, including the World Bank, which facilitated the treaty, as well as the Permanent Court of Arbitration or the International Court of Justice in the Hague.

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Regional And Global Views

Indus water treaty suspension marks a dangerous turning point in India-Pakistan relations, risking not only bilateral peace but also regional water stability. International relations expert Happymon Jacob at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University said that India's new focus on the Indus Waters Treaty reflected an attempt to pressure Pakistan over Kashmir. "With the latest conflict, Delhi may refuse to discuss Kashmir with Pakistan in any format," he said. "Delhi has not only progressively narrowed the scope of bilateral talks but has also curtailed the agenda, focusing only on specific issues like the IWT."

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