Exclusive Ground Reports | Can Indus Be India's Weapon To Retaliate After Pahalgam Terror Attack?

In this exclusive ground report from Jammu & Kashmir, India Today Reporters brings you full detailed report on Indus Water Treaty. In a historic policy shift following the brutal Pahalgam terror attack, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), signaling a strong diplomatic and strategic response to Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism. The move targets the Western rivers — Indus, Chenab (Chandrabagha), and Jhelum (Vitasta) — which flow into Pakistan and form the backbone of its agrarian economy, irrigating nearly 80% of its farmland and supplying critical water for power generation.

Signed in 1960, the IWT was brokered by the World Bank and gave India rights over the Eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) while reserving the Western rivers for Pakistan, with India allowed limited non-consumptive use. Now, India no longer needs to notify Pakistan about any projects, water flows, or allow inspections — a move that alters decades of water cooperation.

Wular Lake — a vital freshwater reservoir on the Jhelum River in Kashmir — India is considering long-term plans to enhance dam construction, water storage, and river diversion. Though India’s current infrastructure can store less than 1 MAF, this marks the beginning of a strategic timeline to cut down Pakistan’s dependence on Indian-controlled water. Projects like reservoir flushing at Kishanganga could increase dam life and reduce sediment load, while lack of advance flow data could expose Pakistan to unanticipated drought or flooding.