The waters of the Indo River and its tributaries have long represented a strategic vulnerability for Pakistan. Following the atrocious attack against civil tourists in Pahalgam, the decision of the Indian Cabinet Security Committee (CCS) to withdraw from the Indo Waters Treaty (IWT) is timely and appropriate.
The IWT, signed in 1960 after six years of negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations, divided the waters of six Himalaya rivers, namely, the Indo, Jhelum, Chenab, Sutlej, Ravi and Beasstan Betwen.
India’s decision at that time was an act of magnanimity; Few nations would voluntarily share such a significant strategic resource, fresh water, with a hostile neighbor. Unfortunately, Pakistan has not shown gratitude for this gesture. On the other hand, the agreement has been discussed as a right to the time that terrorism encourages simultaneously in the Indian soil. The decision of the CCS, under the leadership of the prime minister, aims to send an unequivocal message to Pakistan: such beligigence will no longer be tolerated.
The withdrawal of India from the IWT has sent to Acrosse Pakistan shock waves, particularly among its agrarian communities, which now face the gloomy possibility of a hunger situation in the coming months. However, although this movement seeks to punish an adversary, it also presents a unique opportunity for India to ensure and optimize its water resources.
Under the treaty, the six rivers were classified into Eastern Ríos (Sutlej, Ravi and Beas) and Western (Indo, Jhelum and Chenab). The current participation of 30% of India provides 33 million acres (MAF) or water, while Pakistan receives 135 MAF (equivalent to approximately 165 billion cubic meters, or BCM). If India stops the flow of this water within its territory, it can be used in multiple ways to strengthen national infrastructure and reduce the dependence of the southwest monsoon volatile.
First, this surplus of water can be used to establish mini and microelectric projects in the mountainous regions, which increases the generation of energy in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Second, the East rivers can be linked to other rivers in the plains, special that face the duration of water scarcity in the winter months, through an expansive network of the channel. This interlination would greatly benefit the states dependent on the monsoon and in the deficient regions in the water equally, significantly improving agricultural productivity.
The growing population, urbanization and industrialization of India are exerting immense pressure on fresh water resources, which already face exhaustion and degradation. Water security is essential for the social and economic development of India, particularly because the nation supports 17% of the world’s population. The National Commission for Integrated Water Development estimates that irrigation water requirements will increase from 611 BCM by 2025 to 807 BCM by 2050. The availability of 164 BCM of the INDO system would reduce the dependence of the country in the Monzones.
To use the waters of the Indo, Jhelum and Chenab, India, could explore the construction of long channel systems such as the proponent Jhelum – Yamuna and Chenab – Ganga links channels. There are historical precedents for mass water management projects worldwide. For example, the Grand Canal of China, the duration built, the Yuan dynasty in the thirteenth century, extends 1,776 kilometers and links five main rivers, connecting to Beijing in the north with Hangzhou in the south. The Karakum channel in Turkmenistan, an irrigation channel that extends 1,445 kilometers, transports water from the Amu Darya river through the Karakum desert to Ashgabat. Closer to his home, Indira Gandhi Channel itself in India, which begins in Harike near the confluence of Sutlej and Beas, provides irrigation to the tar desert approximately approximately 788 kilometers.
While the government probably has voluntary plans to use this effective water, a coordinated and strategic approach is essential. A comprehensive channel network, backed by hydroelectric facilities, could transform Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh into regions of Surplus of power and offer vital relief for farmers in the states of the center of India, Rajasthan and the South.
The time to act is now. With adequate planning and infrastructure development, India can reap the benefits of these measures in the next two decades, ensuring the long -term water and energy security for the nation.
Discharge of responsibility
The opinions expressed above are the author’s own.
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