- For more than six decades, the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), signed in 1960 between Pakistan and India, remained as one of the most enduring transboundary water-sharing agreements in the world. Despite multiple wars, political crises, and prolonged periods of bilateral hostility, the treaty largely continued to govern the allocation and management of the waters of the Indus Basin.
- Recent developments, however, have raised serious concerns regarding the future viability of the treaty framework. The unilateral suspension of treaty obligations by India, disagreements over dispute-resolution mechanisms, the growing pace of hydro-infrastructure development in the upper riparian region, and the increasing securitization of water have collectively created unprecedented uncertainty. Simultaneously, climate change, glacial retreat, extreme weather events, demographic pressures, and emerging technologies are transforming the hydrological realities upon which the treaty was originally founded.
- In this context, CASS is organising an online catalyst conversation to discuss the evolving dynamics of the treaty and identify potential pathways for ensuring long-term water security and regional stability. The discussion will focus on the following questions:-
(a)Â Â Â Â Â Â How significant is the cumulative impact of India’s upstream hydropower projects on Pakistan’s long-term water security?
(b)Â Â Â Â Â Â What are the most urgent water governance reforms Pakistan must undertake to strengthen its negotiating position and water security?
(c)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â What role can emerging technologies such as satellite monitoring and AI-driven hydrological modelling play to reduce uncertainty and mistrust in the management of the Indus Basin?
