Indus Water Diversion May End North India’s Crisis, But Requires Years and Massive Investment
Suspending the Indus Water Treaty opens doors for irrigation, hydropower, and storage expansion but with steep costs, long timelines, and political hurdles.
India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty could mark a turning point in tackling the chronic water scarcity of northern states but experts warn that large-scale benefits will take years of infrastructure upgrades, hefty spending, and tricky environmental trade-offs.
The Treaty signed in 1960, granted unrestricted use of eastern rivers (Satluj, Beas, Ravi) to India and restricted use of western rivers (Chenab, Jhelum, Indus) to Pakistan. India was allowed only non-consumptive or agricultural use on western rivers, with no storage or diversion permitted. That could now change.
With the Treaty suspended, India can immedi...