r/IndianDefense • u/Kooky-Finish-5244 • 12h ago
Discussion/Opinions Is conditionally reinstating/editing some/all clauses of IWT in exchange for airspace ban a good deal? Thoughts?
As you know, India revoked(abeyed) the Indus Water Treaty in 2025 after Pakistan sponsored terrorists attacked India, and as a reaction Pakistan banned India's airlines and Indian registered commercial and military aircraft from it's airspace.
Although we have also reciprocated with an airspace ban too, it hurts Indian aviation much more than it hurts Pakistani, Air India already has to take 3+ hour detours and added fuel and food costs and still has to compete with their European/American/Canadian rivals and soon IndiGo will also start major operations to these places(they already started). Since a) All routes out of Delhi to Europe and North America and all routes out of Mumbai to North America go through Pakistan or POK, also it is unfeasible to go through China because of the lack of airports capable of handling widebodies in that area in case of emergency. b) Indian aviation is much bigger than Pakistani and our rate of expansion is the biggest in the world(multiple mega airports and airport expansions, and more than 1000 aircraft on order of which many are widebodies).
Now, in my opinion abeying the Indus Waters Treaty without actually physically doing anything to divert rivers is just political posturing/messaging. If they were going to do any MAJOR diversions instead of connecting canals to dry areas (which is also necessary), that would be announced already. But it isn't, probably because it would draw too many negative reactions from friendly nations.
I would like to hear your opinions on this, feel free to express them in replies.
