A Dispute in Kashmir Troubles the Waters of the Indus River Basin

The latest flare-ups in Kashmir are troubling the waters between India and Pakistan. Since 1960, both countries have abided by the Indus Waters Treaty, an agreement developed by the United Nations to govern the use of water along the Indus River and its main tributaries. In that time, the treaty has weathered three wars, numerous disagreements and plenty of threats to nullify or breach it. Now, the treaty has come under fire once again. In the wake of an attack on a military base in the Indian-administered area of Kashmir, and a subsequent cross-border raid into Pakistan's portion of the territory, disputes over the Indus River basin have resurged. Pakistan disagrees with India's plans for hydropower projects along the Indus, while the government in New Delhi is threatening to review the terms of its arrangement with Islamabad. Still, the odds that the treaty will be formally dissolved — or even violated — are low, though the sound and fury over the agreement could obscure a far graver danger.