The Indus River sustains hundreds of millions across India and Pakistan. But after a deadly attack in Kashmir, India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty — a rare symbol of cooperation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Now, India is threatening to restrict water flows to Pakistan, a country where the Indus supports 90% of food production and powers all hydroelectric plants. Pakistan calls the move a "blatant violation" and warns of severe consequences.
Experts say weaponizing water could be more destructive than armed conflict. As tensions rise, DW examines the fragile balance between diplomacy, survival, and sovereignty — and asks: can a river that has flowed through decades of war now become a trigger for the next?
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