In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor and the horrific April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir ~ where 26 civilians, mostly tourists, lost their lives ~ the government’s sharpened focus on the Indus river system marks a significant shift in India’s strategic posture. As national grief turned into political resolve, Delhi’s response has included suspending its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and fast-tracking infrastructure on rivers allocated to Pakistan. But while the impulse to retaliate is understandable, India’s move to potentially weaponise water could be a perilous path, both diplomatically and environmentally.

The IWT, signed in 1960, has withstood wars, border skirmishes, and diplomatic frost. It has long been viewed as a rare example of pragmatic cooperation between two hostile neighbors. India’s decision to re-evaluate the treaty and pursue unilateral hydrological projects ~ like doubling the length of the Ranbir canal on the Chenab ~ may seem like a demonstration of sovereignty and........

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