The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty operated for over six decades on a distinct premise of mutual goodwill. The April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, resulting in the deaths of 26 civilians, collapsed that foundation entirely. By subsequently placing the Treaty in abeyance, India has compelled the international community to confront a fundamental question of transboundary water governance.
The dialogue is organised around six interlocking themes: Documenting State-Sponsored Terrorism and Non-Compliance; The Breach of Goodwill and Legal Foundation; Deconstructing Narrative Warfare; Civilisational Heritage and Historical Continuity; Sovereign Water Security and Strategic Economics; and Nationwide Dialogue and Youth Inclusion.
It will produce a legal white paper and treaty dossier, an evidence and cartography annex, terror-water nexus documentation, media production, international press and diaspora outreach, and a digital archive of compliance and violations.
The dialogue is convened by Tiesverse Foundation (TIES), an India-based youth-led research, media and technology organisation.
Indus Waters Treaty Dialogue. 19 September 2026, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.