---
title: "Indus Waters Treaty — Definition & Meaning | Model Diplomat"
description: "The Indus Waters Treaty is a 1960 agreement between India and Pakistan that allocates rivers, crucial for civil services and policy studies."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/indus-waters-treaty"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Indus Waters Treaty is a 1960 water-distribution agreement between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank, allocating the eastern rivers to India and the western rivers to Pakistan.
- Which rivers are allocated to India and which to Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty?
- Who brokered the Indus Waters Treaty and when was it signed?
- How does the treaty resolve disputes?
- Can India unilaterally terminate the Indus Waters Treaty?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In April 2025, India announced it would hold the Indus Waters Treaty "in abeyance" following the Pahalgam terror attack, marking the most serious challenge to the 1960 agreement.

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