Why in the News?

India is pushing for a review and updates to the 1960 Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, citing changing water demands, climate change, and regional tensions. The proposed modifications aim to improve water management, ensure equitable distribution, and address infrastructure-related disputes.

About Indus Water Treaty (IWT)

• India and Pakistan signed the IWT on 19^th September 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory to the pact.
• The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two sides on the use of the water of the Indus River and its tributaries.

Map Showing Indus River System (to scale)

Indus River System

• It is one of the three major river basins of the Himalayan drainage system.
  • The Indus
  • The Ganga and
  • The Brahmaputra
• It stretches over 3,000 kilometers.
• The Indus is the longest river in Pakistan and among the longest in Asia.
• The Indus River System and its five tributaries namely Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Jhelum, and Chenab flow through the western part of the Indian subcontinent, carving deep gorges and sustaining diverse ecosystems along its course.
• Origin of Indus River: It originates from a glacier near Bokhar Chu in the Tibetan region in the Kailash Mountain range near the Mansarovar Lake.
• Course of Indus River
  • The Indus River meets the Zaskar River at Leh and later the Shyok River.
  • Near Mithankot, it receives water from the five eastern tributaries: Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Satluj, collectively known as the Panchnad.
  • In Sindh Province, the river accumulates sediment, creating the Indus River delta before flowing into the Arabian Sea near Karachi.

Map Showing Indus River Water System