Indus Water Treaty Decoded: What Nehru & Ayub Khan Signed After 9 Years Of Talks

In the wake of the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, India announced a series of sweeping diplomatic and strategic countermeasures against Pakistan. Framing the response as a decisive stand against "cross-border terrorism", the Ministry of External Affairs outlined multiple steps, including the indefinite suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty that had endured three wars, and an immediate shutdown of the Integrated Check Post at the Attari-Wagah border - a crucial link for trade and people-to-people engagement between the two nations. Signed on September 19, 1960, the Indus Water Treaty is one of the most enduring water-sharing agreements in the world. Negotiated over nine years with the World Bank acting as mediator, the treaty was signed by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan’s then President Ayub Khan. The pact divides the use of the six rivers of the Indus basin between the two countries — giving India control over the Eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) and Pakistan control over the Western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab). Comprising 12 Articles and 8 Annexures, the treaty outlines mechanisms for cooperation, data sharing, and dispute resolution. Despite multiple wars and border tensions, the treaty has remained largely intact for over six decades, making it a rare symbol of diplomacy between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.