Putting an end to escalating military hostilities, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on 10 May 2025 – but India upheld its decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). One month since its announcement, the suspension marks a substantial shift in India’s long-standing policy of ‘de-linking’ water from security issues. The IWT has been touted as a successful transboundary agreement, given its survival despite major conflicts between the parties. However, bilateral agreements rely heavily on mutual goodwill – parties have the scope to use a ‘strategic pause’ as a tool for deterrence or posturing. India’s abeyance of the IWT underscores the dependence of treaty compliance on geopolitical considerations with implications for international governance frameworks.
The Indus Pause: Unpacking Fallacy of Compliance in Bilateral Agreements
