Public sentiment reflects deep divisions and strong emotions surrounding the ongoing water dispute between India and Pakistan, highlighting frustrations over mismanagement, perceived inequities in the Indus Waters Treaty, and a prevailing sense of national pride and defensive stance towards sovereignty. Advocates for tougher water control assert a disregard for diplomatic engagements, fearing ecological and humanitarian repercussions. The sentiment oscillates from nationalist support for India's rejection of the treaty to concerns about potential conflict escalation and the humanitarian implications for Pakistan.

India

Pakistan

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There is really not any immediately immediate consequences tbh. They can use the dams they had before 1960s to shut down the water supply on the rivers assigned to us but considering that they weren't allowed to build anything on there during the treaty they may need to build newer dams to store all that water to cause any damage. So any diversion or considerable storage solution for them is likely years away, so the consequences are more long term than immediate.

India has been trying to change the terms of the treaty anyway so most likely they will present some renewed form of it later down the line once the dust settles.

-Faraday

Honestly, in politics it’s nothing new at all. It’s a very old trick to play the victim. Basically, a 101 of terrorism is to create/ invent a problem, get your own people klld and play the victim to get a free pass to do whatever to your opponent.

Rammstein_786

India was already violating the IWT by building disputed damns. This is opportunism at best, and they will keep building those dams citing this suspension now. The Indus will shrink in the long run as much of it will only be water from Pakistani watersheds and basins, which if still plenty is saner minds lead and plan in Pakistan. The prophesied "water wars" via climate change are becoming a reality.

LahoriDreamss

If India actually goes through with breaking the Indus Waters Treaty and tries to block Pakistan’s share of the water, the fallout would be immediate and chaotic. For starters, it would be a full-blown violation of international law—this isn’t some casual agreement you can just walk away from. The Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has survived wars and decades of tension, and it clearly says neither side can back out unilaterally. But let’s say India *tries* to do it anyway. Pakistan would face serious trouble, especially in Punjab and Sindh where farming relies heavily on those rivers. Crops would fail, water shortages would hit both rural and urban areas, and energy production (hydropower) would tank. On India’s side, the global backlash would be intense. The World Bank might step in, countries would call it out, and India’s image as a “responsible democracy” would take a major hit. Plus, let’s be real—turning off the tap on a nuclear neighbor? That’s not just risky, it’s reckless. It could easily escalate into something way bigger than just a water dispute.

Now about those claims floating around that “Pakistan was supposed to build dams under the Treaty but didn’t”—that’s a common talking point, but it’s not true in the way people think. The Indus Waters Treaty never said “Pakistan must build X number of dams by Y date.” That clause doesn’t exist. What did happen was that after giving India full control over the eastern rivers, the Treaty allowed Pakistan to get funding (mainly through the World Bank) to build its own water infrastructure—dams, canals, etc.—to manage the western rivers better. So yeah, Pakistan *did* build some big ones like Mangla and Tarbela, but it also dropped the ball on a bunch of other projects due to political chaos, red tape, and internal fights (Kalabagh Dam may ring a bell). But here’s the key point: this was a national planning issue, not a violation of the Treaty. There was no legal “obligation” to build dams—it was just smart policy to do so. So using this to say “Pakistan deserves to be punished” is pure deflection, and it ignores the actual legal and humanitarian disaster that would follow if India weaponized water.

tormenturator

Nothing in shorter terms nor in longer it basically originates in china tibet and if india keep building new dams on it at some point china may start raising issue and reciprocate the same with india.

Ok_Astronaut_6043

They don't have the infrastructure to block them immediately, no immediate consequences. But maybe in 10-15 years from now on, it'll become a much bigger issue.

Demoncious

In the immediate term????

Absolutely fuckall it's just a pr stunt on their part **Since India actually doesn't have the infra to block waters** even if they decided to invest on it now the entire process could take multi billion dollar investements over the course of the next several years before it bore any meaningful fruit.

Their other option is direct military adventurism ofcourse that has the problem of it being turned into another Abhinandan level meme 

Also unlike Imran Khan who was in a politically disadvantegeous situation politically while starting the war Asim Munir is in the polar opposite place his own popularity is in the gutter and a defensive war with India is the only thing that can potentially unite the nation behind a certifiable bozo like him

Treat most Indian threats of retaliation for what it is in practical manner **Copium** 

Their government literally has near zero control in the North east of their country and you have heard squat from them.

They are doing drama of "FATF blacklisting" problem is no one is gonna back them. China will not want to ruin their relationship with Pakistan and the US is sick and tired of India's shtick since they haven't provided any tangible results with regards to China or heck even Russia

Moist-Performance-73

They cant suspend it by themselves, its litetally a 'treaty', announcement is only to rileup indian public. What they went overboard with is closing the attari border and saarc visa and rolling back the diplomatic mission.

alumniquasi

is it possible we ask china to make an artifical canal and get our water directly from china bypassing India ?

a4illusionist

It’s not possible- they can try to build a dam over it- will take 10+ years. Pakistan can fire a couple shaheen missiles on it a day before its inauguration

First_Cod5180

Are you guys stupid?? 
You are non-stop chanting that this treaty can't be broken, world bank, this and that. India has already "suspended" it. The World Bank cannot do anything. What will the world bank do? Stop giving loans to India?? Guess what, the World bank wants india to take loans from them. What on earth suggests to you that the Trump backed US government will allow the world bank to take any step against its natural ally India? 
And why the heck would India let Pakistan (its arch enemy) use 80% of the water resources that originate through it? 
And about china...... If China stops India's water supply, India will have an  even bigger reason to cut off Pakistan's water supply. Instead of pointing fingers at India, Pak should focus on managing the existing resources. Don't be dumb, India was bound to cut pak's water supply provided it's growing population.

External-Big-7037

antithot_broski

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So, war? Ahh schucks man.. just when life started to get better.

NotHamza1

UnlikelyConfidence11

Topi drama. India can only effect small percentage of Pakistan's supply. There is a reason those rivers were given to Pakistan in IWT.

IllustriousScene5040

This is unfortunate, but along expected lines from a Hindu nationalist government. The doves are steadily losing ground everywhere in the world and the hawks are winning.

But I just want to say: the people in our region are masters at making their own lives miserable for no good reason. A wise person put it thus: we are like apes who are tearing each other apart because we just don't know any better.

The result of this ratcheting up of hatred can't be pretty. I try not to think about it.

mantrabuddhi

My Dada friend once said : Brahmin blocked our water. 

Even after 80 years, the same mindset still exists.

i3ahab

Yes they will, just a matter of time before new deals are made. The Generals come and go, the better question is which Colonel will turn on and exile Munir. It is a long game but the plays are predictable.

CrimsonTightwad

Just based on the title good for everyone

SyedHRaza

Okay and, spend the next 30 years building dams, the moment water is actually threatened, 2 -3 strikes and waters back😇 good luck wasting the money

BrilliantMastodon957

I wise man once said that next war is going to be on water. We're heading that way full throttle just because of India's arrogance.

googo1

OK so they will build dams spending billions of $$$ and years and Pakistan will just bomb it. Pakistan will have all the rights since IWT is ratified by UN and India as well.
Just pure drama

shahkhizar1

Mohsincj

Easy solution if they keep this up for more than 2 years. Conduct another underground nuclear test to remind them (it may repercussion but nothing is more crucial than water).

UltimateTeachine1000

bunkabaab

Ifeelold87

Sorry state of affairs with the way Reuters and Al Jazeera have done "journalism" on India Pak issues. I can understand indian media being heavily biased in the opposite direction with their silly "entertainment first" news but this amount of shithousery from international news sites? 

RationalPsycho42

As a gesture of goodwill, India agreed to give Pakistan 80% of the water under the IWT a deal many consider unfair. Despite wars &amp; provocations, India has consistently honored that treaty. So why is it unreasonable to now ask for a more balanced share, especially when India has a significantly larger population to support?

IamAdvikaaa

Blood and water will not flow together, stop the terrorism get the water

India should just donate a stable government to Pakistan. I think they need that more than water

smackythefrog

Conjaybro

No country is obligated to feed its enemies.  Pakistan is at fault for causing this situation with their attacks against India.

The-M0untain

Won't the monsoons make this impossible?  I don't know if the rivers at play are affected by them or not.

beached

They don’t need water 💧 

They are interested in rivers of honey 🍯.

shoppingdiscussions

Water wars have been coming for decades. Climate change will only accelerate it. 


  Mass cheap energy and desalination plants will help some areas survive, but many are gping to die.

UnionGuyCanada

KGN-Tian-CAi

nateguo

This will be a humanitarian and ecological disaster. 

DentistCertain3897

brickyardjimmy

JKlerk

Ah the water wars….we’ve been expecting you my friend (I know they started a while back).

realized_loss

What will happen on a bigger scale in the future: various countries will have water shortages and become unliveable, sparking mass migrations and civil unrest globally.

Water Wars are coming.

This may be a bad precedent to set for us, what you do to others you can’t cry when others do the same to you.

Edit: Fellow Redditors - do you know there is another river in our country called the Brahmaputra - we are downstream and our lovely neighbours can block that water because they are allied with the military state on the left.

Sorry-Water-8530

gastro_psychic

Bigmoochcooch

lndigoChild

I've said it before, the "ceasefire" wasn't India wussing out despite being a favourite to win the conflict. They had this trump card with them the whole time. Why waste lives when you can just do this?

thecoppermusicdude

Can't understand how pakistan are going to afford the 40, J-35 jets.

Priyotosh1234

When this treaty was designed, knowledge of glaciers were limited and it was very generous allocation to Pakistan. Mostly Nehru ( Indian PM) thought this will allow peace in the region

We all know that didnt happen. With change in demography and understanding that western river account for 80% of the total water flow, India tried to re negotiate the deal to allocate more % for its population considering the population growth in the region. But Pakistan didnt bother to negotiate for that

Even after Kargil attack, Parliament attack, Multiple city blasts, Mumbai city attack of 2008 and countless attacks in J&amp;K region, India kept this treaty alive and asked for re negotiation

But post Pahalgam attack, patience finally ran out. There is no need to have any water treaty. Pakistan and India can have the same status about river, like India and China have

pratyush_1991

Its sad for Pakistan, but it was coming for them. For over 2 years Indian government has been discussing over renegotitaing this treaty. And recent Phalgam attack really provided them with opportunity to actually suspend this as a tool to make sure that Pak do not harbour terrorist. We all know that's not going to happen as its whole identity revolves around attacking India and creating terror in India. It's safe to say that IWT is in abeyance forever or untill Pak remains in its today's form.

anshu2605

india provided 80%of the jhelum river water to pakistan and took 20% for themselves. 
That was very gracious of india, despite the constant terror attacks, war, narcotics terrorism etc. 
Maybe dont sent terrorist to countries on whom your water source depends?

I_have_papilloma

India has been looking to get out of the treaty for some time now. Not outright abolish it like now but they wanted to change somethings related to dams and power generation to represent the more modern technological requirements which were prohibited by the treaty.

Pakistan didn't help by just stonewalling every project india was building delaying it by years and decades by invoking arbitration which takes years to give a judgment in the process increasing India's frustration with the treaty. 

Pakistan failed to understand that there's noone stopping india from abolishing the treaty. International institutions are toothless in implementation of such treaties. Pakistan just keeps poking india expecting india to follow the treaty like in the past while it uses the treaty maliciously to delay genuine projects. This treaty was just give-give-give for india and such treaties are bound to fall apart. 

Everyone kept saying that this treaty has survived 4 wars so it will continue to survive. But everyone fails to realise that those wars happened when india was a financially weak nation. It couldn't have diverted the water even if it wanted to. It requires billions of dollars to fund such a project and no international institution would fund such a project primarily because it lies in an internationally disputed territory. 

Right now India not only has the money to fund it but it also has the incentive to fund it. India is in huge need of energy especially clean energy to power its growth and it requires more water in that region for farming. 

This was inevitable. Pakistan is just stuck in the past. Mentally and quite literally

GlitteringNinja5

Well "fuck around and find out" situation with pak now

NewTHULTHUL-exe

Cub_Millenial

I see a lot of overzealous and misinformed people suggesting that these canals and dams are easy targets for military action. But nothing could be more far from truth. 

Dams are built with a lot of durability and strength mainly to hold the water back. Water stored behind a dam has an overwhelming force which when used to turn turbines generates a lot of power. The dams which are constructed to hold that water back are designed to endure that immense pressure. 

Bombing dams is an extremely difficult task, which requires very specialized bombs that only a select few countries have. Also bombing dams is a futile action as destroyed sections can be rebuilt quickly. A country which bombs another countries critical infrastructure will face immense international condemnation not to mention severe retaliatory action. Also for a lower riparian (downstream) state to bomb an upper riparian state's dams is nothing but suicide as a good portion of the water released will flood their own country. 

A lot of people are not realizing that the IWT suspension is a bigger ticking time bomb for pak than any military action would be. IWT is the real trump card that the Indian government has used this time. Now India just has to stay calm, build water storage capacity and watch pakistan panic.

KizaruMus

Love to see some Pakistan sympathisers in the replies

VanillaIceGolem

SynthSydneyWizer

Good. This is what should happen when you facilitate terror attacks on your neighbor.

DefiantZealot

Lol the circlejerk in the Pakistani sub is wild with this post and subject …either “go to the UN and cry about the treaty” or “go to war and bomb Indian dams and infrastructure.” Like bro, this isn’t Iran vs USA, you can’t just drop bombs and walk away. India’s not gonna sit back ..if there’s a conventional war, Pakistan gets steamrolled. If it ever goes nuclear (which no one actually wants), it’s game over for PK.

What they never mention is the most obvious and realistic option: just stop funding terrorists, stop the proxy crap, stop messing with Indian peace. That’s literally all India ever says ..you stop that, we’re chill, and the water flows as per Indian terms. It’s not some chest-thumping move, it’s just reality. India doesn’t see Pakistan as a serious threat anymore.

Pretty sure even the Pak establishment knows the only way out is to cool down, be civil with India, and everyone benefits.

liyakadav

This move will damage the army generals and politicians as Pakistan is a major agriculture export country and most of the arable land is in hold of the elites.I truly hope this move by India cripples those in power

Working-Section-7493

Isn't this basically guaranteeing a really, really fucked up war and/or a refugee crisis on a hitherto unimagined scale

landlord-eater

The most funny thing is that Pakistanis believe that they can win war against india😂😂😂

No-Philosophy-2208

No country in the world can claim the resources of another country. It was the goodwill of India that they allowed 80-20 split of these waters. Pakistan should have had a friendly relationship with India. Now, the IWT is dusted, Pakistan can't really do anything about it unless it's a diplomatic talk. You can't attack another nation for its resources. You can't threaten another nation for their resources. A healthy relationship is the only way forward but I don't see that coming from Pakistan anytime soon. The international community won't say anything in it. India basically was always free to do what they wanted with the resources on their land. It was just a gesture of peace that IWT ever came into the picture.

DeliciousFireDragon

Accelerator____

For Pakistanis - wait &amp; watch how blood &amp; water isn’t going to flow together

lakshmi_chitfund_

Mmhh looks good but divert some water in yamuna too it needs fresh water

Existing_Solution927

The reason behind the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is not that India wants people to suffer. It's because:

1. Pakistan has repeatedly supported or harbored terrorists who have carried out attacks on Indian soil.
2. The suspension of the treaty is intended to allow India to build dams, primarily for generating power for Jammu &amp; Kashmir and nearby regions.
3. No one is diverting an entire river system. The plan involves only a simple canal at the end point of the Chenab to divert a portion of its water approximately 60–70% into the Beas River.
4. India needs water. Punjab and Haryana have alarmingly low groundwater levels. Rajasthan and Delhi face severe drinking water shortages. Even parts of J&amp;K lack adequate irrigation.
5. Those raising concerns about the climate where were you when Pakistan was developing nuclear weapons? Or when China built the massive Three Gorges Dam?
6. Those who claim to care about humanity where were you when Pakistan was killing tourists or during the Mumbai attacks and other incidents? India has always pursued peace in the region; that's the only reason Pakistan has received so many chances. Even during times of war, India did not suspend the treaty.
7. If Pakistan truly cannot survive without India's water, then it should surrender its nuclear weapons and prioritize humanity first.

fffiiiiiyyyyyyyyyyy

Tall_Most_74

LawyerSea9462

Efficient_Meme

I understand that Indians have some alternative number system for big numbers ( those lakh and crores) but can we stick to millions and billions, please? International community doesn't understand lakhs and crores and they are even less intuitive than chinese/korean/japanese wans and yis.

berikiyan

Been following this conversation on a Pakistani thread about this post.


https://www.reddit.com/r/pakistan/comments/1lhj3ay/how_feasible_and_realistic_it_really_is_and_will/


What I find surprising is that none of them even remotely talk about the possibility that their government/army gives up their "strategic assets" like Masood Azhar and Hafeez Saeed.


They are open to starve their people or start a war than to let go of these terrorists 🤦🏽‍♂️

kranthitech

Yeah let's see when it actually gets completed 

im_just_depressed

Pakistan deserves the wrath , they take no action against public terrorists

Defiant-Nail8326

The last thing I do is to read or reply to Pakistanis anywhere online. It's a waste of time to engage with a bunch of people who have only seen decline ever since they came into existence, and all of that because of the lies they tell themselves.

All that Pakistanis can do is to talk online and find some comfort in Indians giving them some attention. Let's not waste our time on them, we have got work to do, unlike them, who only talk and talk.

We reduced our extreme poverty from 27% to 11% in the last 10 years, theirs increased from 30% to 39%. They're weak, lazy and incompetent. They couldn't produce a single leader in 75 years who can uplift them, they're a breed of losers bound to self-destruct.

Again, let's not waste our time answering them, they're nobodies, let's work hard and help our government and army beat them to pulp.

Due-Honeydew-6687

Correction: 

India has put the treaty 'on hold' it hasn't revoked it yet as per official Indian government (rather than low level internal political propoganda)

Pakistan has revoked the Shimla Agreement in response thereby not recognising the LoC as a defacto border.

The whole thing takes us back to pre 1960s time.

AwarenessNo4986

I'm sure this will definitely stop attacks on India from Pakistan. No way this will backfire at all

Eta I have no idea what India should do, but backing your enemy into a corner generally doesn't make them less violent.

WorryNew3661

This is a much better comment section than others sub for the same news. On other subs it's just people talking about humans who just should live in peace without having any idea about the complexity of the world and human beings or that things aren't black and white.

inevitable__guy__

I’m not a supporter of either side but isn’t this some kind of crime against humanity?

GetTheLudes

La Hawla wa La Quwatta Illa Billahilaliyuladheem Rabighfirli

WeeklyEmu4838

i_am_not_bat_man

Even in the Indus treaty, India does have the permission to build the run of the river dam.

It's not a water resource issue, it's way more than that. Geopolitics is in the center of it especially due to the pincer of China Pak in North.

But the thing is, GOI will build as much leverage as possible b4 the next showdown to pressurise Pakistani establishment( military).

Also India won't push Pakistan to that extent for its collapse or any major civil uprising in it because of a simple reason the population density of Pakistan is in the east of Indus river. Thus in case of mass civil uprising, they might start moving further East and Border is ultimately a fence so it won't be possible to hold 20 crore people.

Daddy_hindi

formidable_dagger

Pakistan currently in the FO stage of FAFO

boinwtm0ds

Pakistan should have thought twice before using terrorism as a foreign policy tool.

This thread: Indians pretending to be Americans posting their perspective to other Indians pretending to be Americans.

Staplersarefun

Yeah trying to cause an entire country to die of dehydration won't cause a war at all. Amd even if it does, it isnt like Pakistan has nukes. Nothing to worry about here. Big nothing burger. 

_Batteries_

THE SHERE NUMBER OF DELUSION PAKISTANI'S IN HERE , TRYING THEIR BEST TO JUSTIFY THEMSELVES IS PEAK COMEDY 🤣🤣

Odd-Leading1

This is the sort of shit that happens when the UN and international law becomes completely useless. Mass starvation of rival nations and the weaponisation of the most basic resource we have. China will be doing the same soon enough with dams too. And I believe Sudan (?) have a dam that will restrict much of the Nile.

AnonymousTimewaster

hakkahuya69

To stop the natural flow of rivers and waterways is a Human Rights Violation. But yeah, y'all continue to feel proud for starving neighboring countries, and inflicting collective punishment. This is what the lowest of the low would do.

--CashMoney--

Expecting Pakistan not hitting theae targets is like expecting india to occupy Lahore and Pakistan not responding 


After all its signed agreement backed by world bank

zeey1

India's rejection of a Court of Arbitration's award concerning the Indus Waters Treaty highlights ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.

India-Pakistan Water Dispute

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