Indus Basin Water Management Under International Law

The management of international watercourses is a prominent global issue, owing to the rapid growth of water scarcity worldwide. This issue is particularly dominant in the Indus Basin, which India and Pakistan share. Both states use the water of the Indus Basin for irrigation, hydropower generation, and multiple other purposes. However, certain Indian water management projects are threatening the current water management infrastructure in Pakistan by substantially obstructing the flow of water in the Pakistani western rivers.

In this regard, the Indus Waters Treaty provides recommendations to both states for adequately managing the Indus waters. Moreover, there are several principles and conventions in international law that include provisions for transboundary watercourses management. These principles also advise states, including India and Pakistan, on how to manage the watercourses sustainably, how not to cause harm to other states, and how to adopt special water management measures to prevent depletion, pollution, and environmental degradation of watercourse basins.