Anomalies in the Indus Water Treaty

The Indus Water Treaty is a water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan signed in 1960, brokered by the World Bank. It divided the six main rivers of the Indus basin between the two countries, allocating the western rivers (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum) to Pakistan and the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India. The treaty was intended to resolve disputes over transboundary water resources after partition. However, some anomalies exist regarding the classification of certain tributaries like the Kabul River, which originates in Afghanistan and joins the Indus in Pakistan, and the Beas River, which is treated separately despite being a tributary of the Sutlej. The document analyses these anomalies and highlights the need for potentially revising the treaty to address issues of equitable water distribution given the changing dynamics and water demands in the region. Resolving ambiguities over tributary status could help optimize water management in line with the treaty's principles of secure and sustainable river utilization for the basin countries.