Pakistan’s choice to bring India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) to the Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum Roundtable in Brussels is a key moment in the global conversation about how to manage water across borders and follow treaties. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke at a forum about the changing geopolitical landscape of the Indo-Pacific. He used the opportunity to stress that India’s recent stance on the IWT is not a technical disagreement between two countries; it is an act that destabilizes the region and has serious consequences for security, the environment, and the credibility of the international treaty system.
Because the World Bank helped make the IWT in 1960, it is widely thought to be one of the longest-lasting water-sharing agreements in the world. It has survived wars, political unrest, and occasional crises between India and Pakistan. People have long pointed to the treaty’s long life as proof that even enemies can work together on important shared resources when there is a strong legal and institutional framework in place. India’s decision to stop following its own rules is a direct attack on a global model of working together to manage resources.
Pakistan’s delegation made it clear that this action not only disrupts hydrological coordination but also goes against the basic idea that international agreements must be kept in good faith, especially when millions of people depend on them to live
Pakistan sees India’s attempt to justify its suspension by saying that treaties are no longer valid or that circumstances have changed as a dangerous break from established norms. Pakistan has repeatedly said that it always follows the IWT, and it has also said that it is willing to use the treaty’s structured mechanisms, like neutral expert reviews and arbitration overseen by the World Bank, to settle disputes. This compliance strengthens the treaty’s goal of being a technical regime that is not affected by political issues in the region. Pakistan, on the other hand, says that India’s recent actions are an attempt to politicize or, worse, weaponize shared river systems, which are a lifeline for millions of people in the Indus Basin.
Pakistan’s main point in Brussels was about the humanitarian and environmental effects of this kind of unilateralism. One of the largest irrigated agricultural systems in the world is in the Indus Basin. It supports the livelihoods of farmers and communities that depend on steady water flows for food security and economic stability. Any change to the agreed-upon ways of distributing water could make the already record-breaking glacial melt, erratic monsoons, and worsening drought cycles even worse in a region that is already facing these problems. Pakistan stressed that India’s suspension puts the health and safety of over 200 million people downstream at risk, which could lead to conditions that could lead to humanitarian crises.
When the world is calling for development that can withstand climate change, pulling out of long-term water agreements on your own goes against the idea of taking care of the environment as a group
Pakistan’s involvement in the Brussels forum brought attention to the bigger systemic risks that come with breaking international treaties, in addition to the immediate effects on water resources. The IWT has long been a test of how well multilateral institutions work, especially how well the World Bank can make deals and keep them in difficult geopolitical situations. Pakistan warns that if a treaty that is so widely respected can be canceled by one country without any consequences, it could make people less confident in other cross-border agreements that deal with water, energy, and environmental sustainability. In fact, Pakistan sees India’s suspension as part of a larger pattern of one-sided policy changes that make diplomacy in the region harder and make it harder for South Asian countries to claim they are responsible leaders.
Pakistan made it clear that it wanted to keep an eye on transboundary water governance in the Indo-Pacific by bringing up the issue on a high-profile global stage. The goal of the Brussels intervention was to get countries to work together to put pressure on India to restore the treaty, make sure that everyone follows UN rules for fair and reasonable use of shared resources, and stop the destruction of fragile ecosystems that cross national borders. Pakistan didn’t see the issue as a bilateral problem but as a test case for the world’s commitment to following the rules and developing in a way that is good for the environment.
Pakistan also used the forum to show off its own work to modernize and protect its water infrastructure from climate change. Pakistan’s investments in dams, irrigation reforms, and technologies that focus on efficiency were used as proof of the country’s policy maturity and dedication to managing resources in a way that is good for the environment. Pakistan wanted to counter stories that paint the region as always in crisis by focusing on these projects.
Instead, it wanted to show that it is a responsible stakeholder that can work together and be strong. This plan also shows that Pakistan believes that responsible government and following treaties must go hand in hand
Finally, Pakistan said that India’s suspension fits with a pattern that has happened many times in the past: trying to change or renegotiate parts of the treaty after political events or pressures at home. Pakistan says that this kind of behavior hurts India’s chances of becoming a regional leader and makes it even more important for third parties to keep an eye on things or mediate to protect ecosystems and stop people from moving as climate pressures rise. In this light, Pakistan’s choice to make the issue international seems not only smart but also necessary, a way to stop an agreement that has kept the subcontinent stable for more than sixty years from falling apart.
Pakistan made it clear in Brussels that the Indus Waters Treaty is more than just a piece of paper; it is a stabilizing force. Suspending it on its own would upset the balance in the region, hurt global climate goals, and violate international law. The world now has to choose between watching and doing nothing or getting involved. Pakistan’s way forward lies in working together with other countries, respecting the treaty system again, and making a shared promise to protect the water resources that are important to the most vulnerable people in the Indo-Pacific.
