'India well within its rights to suspend Indus water treaty'

New Delhi, April 24 -- India is well within its rights to halt the Indus water treaty with Pakistan as it is a purely bilateral pact not governed by a global convention, although the deal was facilitated by the World Bank, according to experts on the Indian side.

The Cabinet committee on security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday decided to suspend the water agreement, a day after terrorists killed 26 tourists in Kashmir.

The 1960 Indus treaty governs the use of the Indus water system, such as the western rivers - the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab - and the eastern rivers - the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej - by both the countries.

"India is well within its right to suspend the treaty and any bilateral agreement will work only ...