" INDUS WATER TREATY "

WHY IN NEWS
India has sent a formal notice to Pakistan, seeking the “review and modification” of the Indus Water Treaty. New Delhi’s intent to revoke and renegotiate the 64-year-old treaty

The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan for the use of water available in the Indus and its tributaries.
It was negotiated by worldbank and took about 9 years to negotiate.
It was signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960 by then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistani president Field Marshal Ayub Khan.

Pakistan is a downstream nation of Indus River. Pakistan fears that India being a upstream country can cut water supply to Pakistan any time it wants.
About 90% of Pakistan's food and fiber comes from the Indus River, which irrigates 65% of the country's agricultural land which makes Indus a important river for pakistan
Disputes arose for the water sharing soon after indepence of pakistan and India and to resolve the isuue Indus Water treaty came into affect after world banks involvement

According to the IWT, India enjoys the “unrestricted use” of the three “Eastern Rivers, Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej.
Pakistan got control of the three “Western Rivers”, Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum.
The treaty gave India about 30% of the water carried out by the “Indus Rivers System” while Pakistan got 70% of the waters
According to Article III (1) of the IWT, “India is under obligation to let flow” waters of the Western Rivers to Pakistan.
The treaty allows India to use the water of Western Rivers for limited irrigation use and unlimited non-consumptive use such as power generation, navigation, floating of property, fish culture, etc
Treaty lays down detailed regulations for India in building projects over the Western Rivers

India’s desire to renegotiate the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) stems from multiple factors:
- The Indus Water Treaty is 64 year old.
- Change in population demographics of the India and the areas where Indus flows.
- Environmental issues and the need to accelerate development of clean energy to meet India’s emission targets.
- The impact of persistent cross-border terrorism.

This river was known to the ancient Indians in Sanskrit as Sindhu and to the Persians as Hindu.
The Ladakhis and Tibetans call the river Senge Tsangpo or Lions River.
The lenghth of the Indus river is 3,180 km.
The river has a total drainage area of about 1,120,000 km square
Indus originates from the glaciers of the Kailash Mountain Range at an elevation of about 5,182 meters.
COURSE:
- The river enters India in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. It flows northwest between the Ladakh Range and the Zanskar Range.
- The Indus flows for about 1,114 kilometers within Indian territory.
- The river enters Pakistan near the town of Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan, turning south, it enters the plains of Punjab province. Here, it is joined by the Panjnad River (Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Satluj).
- Continuing south through the arid landscapes of Sindh, the river approaches its delta region and afterwards drains into the Arabian Sea near Karachi.
TRIBUTARIES:
- Left bank Tributaries: Zanskar River, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers.
- right-bank tributaries: Shyok, Gilgit, Kabul, Kurram, and Gomal rivers.