India, July 19 -- India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) immediately after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 civilian lives. Though Operation Sindoor, which followed soon, has been paused, there has been no rethink on revoking the 1960 treaty that apportioned the water in six of the rivers that are a part of the Indus river system and flow through Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh to India and Pakistan. That's unlikely to change now. A series of ground reports in HT reveal that the treaty has become dated: The impact of the climate crisis in J&K and Ladakh, evident in the scorching summer and falling rainfall in the region, has exposed the limitations of the data used to decide water allocations. Which is why J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, in the wake of the suspension of the treaty, described IWT as "the most unfair document imposed on the people" of the region. The groundswell in J&K is against any revival of IWT and for better use of the rivers for the region. Pahalgam was only the final push against a treaty that experts for long had argued against. While Islamabad has been corresponding with New Delhi for a revival of IWT, there are at least two factors that could influence India against reviving a treaty that allocates 80% of the water in six rivers of the Indus system and three western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab) to Pakistan; India has access to only 20% water and three eastern rivers (Sutlej, Ravi and Beas). First, J&K and Ladakh have faced the brunt of the skewed water allocation. Agriculture, a mainstay of J&K since 70% of the population depends on it, has suffered from rainfall decline and poor utilisation of available water resources. Though IWT has provisions for run-of-river scheme projects, plans have to be agreed to by Pakistan and disputes arbitrated by a neutral expert under the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague. In practice, this has led to a slowdown or stalling of work on projects India conceived for the region, resulting in large cost overruns. Since April, work has been fast-tracked on at least four major projects and completion dates advanced. The four projects have a combined capacity of 3,014 MW, while the hydropower potential of the region is estimated at 20,000 MW. Realisation of this potential should help meet the power deficit in the region - J&K purchases close to 13% of its electricity from the national market - and energise the local economy. Similarly, completion of the Wular barrage, stalled due to objections by Islamabad, could help farming and enable all-season navigation over a 20-km stretch of the Jhelum between Baramulla and Sopore. The ongoing flushing of sediments and desilting in multiple dams should increase storage in dams and ensure better flow in the rivers in the summer months. Second, New Delhi was magnanimous about sharing the bulk of water in the Indus system because it felt the treaty could ensure bilateral peace. Ironically, Pakistan and India fought many wars after IWT was signed, but the treaty survived these as well as several terrorist strikes Pakistan-backed groups launched against military personnel and civilians in India. The peace dividend envisaged of IWT turned out to be a mirage. As it stands, IWT in its old form is as good as dead. Islamabad may complain that Delhi is weaponising water, but the fact is that the terms of the treaty had for long been weaponised by Pakistan to deprive J&K of much-needed resources by objecting to every project conceived by India for local power and irrigation needs. Pakistan will need to offer at least a new paradigm and framework for India to consider a new water treaty....