Disputed Waters: India, Pakistan and the Transboundary Rivers
2016 ◽
Vol 4
(2)
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pp. 191-205
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Keyword(s):
The Past
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Water disputes between India and Pakistan reflect the political relationship between the two countries since partition of British India in 1947. That partition broke the interdependent hydraulic system. In following decades, tensions between India and Pakistan have led to emergence of ‘water nationalism’ in both countries. In the past, many groups, in both countries, have made appeals to their respective government to scrap the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) of 1960, but no steps were taken in such direction by either of the two states. The IWT has survived two full wars (1965 and 1971), one limited war (1999) and a series of political-cum-military tensions (1987, 1989–90, 2002 and 2008) between India and Pakistan.