Author: Mr. Arif H. Khan

Mr. Arif H. Khan is a distinguished scholar and analyst with multidisciplinary expertise at the intersection of International Relations, Security Studies and Sociological Analysis. His work is dedicated to decoding the complexities of modern conflict, with a specific focus on "Lawfare" the use of law as a weapon of war; which forms the core of his doctoral research on Pakistan.

Opinion
Opinion

Hydro-Hegemony and the Dismantling of International Law: A Critical Examination of India’s Unilateral Abrogation of the Indus Waters Treaty

By 05 Mins Read

Introduction: The Collapse of the Cooperative Framework The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960 has long been regarded as a singular triumph of hydro-diplomacy, surviving three major wars and decades of frozen relations between India and Pakistan. However, the geopolitical landscape of early 2026 has witnessed a structural dismantling of this framework, driven by a decided shift in Indian state policy from technical cooperation to strategic unilateralism. Following the unilateral declaration in April 2025 placing the treaty in “abeyance”, a status devoid of legal recognition within the treaty’s text—India has proceeded to systematically erode the dispute resolution mechanisms that govern…

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