Indus Water Treaty
The Indus Waters Treaty, which was signed on September 19, 1960, was an agreement mediated by the World Bank. It defined and limited the rights and responsibilities of neighboring countries concerning the waters of the Indus River. It was signed by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former Pakistani President Ayub Khan. Under the treaty, the waters of the western rivers Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab would go to Pakistan, and the waters of the eastern rivers Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej would go to India. It also provided for the funding and construction of dams, link canals, barrages, and tubewells, namely the Tarbela and Mangla dams. The treaty required a permanent Indus Commission, headed by a commissioner from each country.
The Nehru-Liaquat Agreement
In April 1950, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan signed an agreement in New Delhi. Under this agreement, the neighbors and their governments would protect the interests of minorities in their respective countries. The agreement stated that the two governments would also be accountable to each other on the issue of protecting the rights of minorities. The provisions of this agreement included freedom of movement, non-discrimination in employment, and the establishment of a Minority Commission to monitor its implementation. The agreement was signed at a time when communal violence was rife in both countries.
Simla Agreement
After the 1971 war, an agreement was signed between Pakistan and India. Among the signatories were Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi. It was decided that neither side would take any unilateral action, that disputes between the two countries would be resolved bilaterally, and that the ceasefire line would become the Line of Control (LoC). Regarding Kashmir, it was stated that "the fundamental issues and causes of conflict that have been vitiating the relations between the two countries for the past 25 years will be resolved through peaceful means". It also committed the two countries to discuss ways and means for lasting peace and normalization.
LOC ceasefire agreement
In 2021, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to the agreement. According to a statement from Pakistan, the two sides agreed to restore existing mechanisms, including hotline contact and flag meetings, to address any unforeseen situations or misunderstandings.
An agreement was signed between Pakistan and India in New Delhi on April 6, 1991. The purpose of the guidelines was to minimize the risk of accidental or unintentional violations of airspace between neighboring countries. These rules state that military aircraft must avoid flying within 10 kilometers of each other's airspace. This includes the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), which is a designated area where a country requires aircraft to identify themselves for national security reasons. Under the agreement, no aircraft from either country is allowed to enter the airspace of the other from territorial waters without prior permission. The agreement has been largely respected, despite occasional violations. In response to India’s aggressive actions after the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan today announced that it was closing its airspace to all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines with immediate effect.
