Experts support India's decision to suspend Indus Waters Treaty

International experts and human rights advocates attending a conference alongside the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva have expressed support for India’s decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. The symposium, organized by the Shivi Development Society, argued that the 1960 pact must be re-evaluated through the lenses of regional security, human rights, and the water rights of local populations.

Dr. Siegfried O. Wolf, Director of Research at the South Asia Democratic Forum, stated that India is acting within its sovereign authority by requesting a review. Wolf argued that Pakistan’s actions have undermined the “object, purpose and spirit” of the agreement and highlighted structural imbalances within the treaty, including water allocation ratios and India’s financial contributions to the Indus Development Fund.

Addressing concerns regarding Indian hydroelectric developments such as the Baglihar, Kishenganga, and Ratle projects, Wolf dismissed claims that India is “blocking” river flows, labeling such assertions an “engineering myth.” He noted that these hydropower projects are largely non-consumptive and that Pakistan’s water scarcity issues may stem from internal factors like mismanagement, urbanization, and agricultural waste.