Signed on 19 September 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan stands as a pivotal moment in transboundary water diplomacy. Indus Basin Uninterrupted: A History of Territory and Politics from Alexander to Nehru provides readers with a sweeping narrative of the river system’s historical, political, and territorial dimensions.
The author brings forth a chronology of invasions, conquests, political identities, and colonisers, all of which have sculpted the course of the Indus River. It offers a historical account of the river which represents not only interdependence and interpenetration of land and water, but also the unfolding of political analysis, social churn, and economic returns.
The book provides a comprehensive analysis of how the Indus system has shaped, and been shaped by, civilisations over millennia. From the Indus Valley Civilisation to British frontier policy, the author weaves a story of conquests, political identities, and colonial transformations. Alexander’s campaigns and Muhammad-bin-Qásim’s conquest of Sindh serve as turning points in this long history, later punctuated by the British expansion of canal networks in Punjab—redefining the region’s socio-economic fabric. The territorial significance of Indus, as the book describes, eventually led to the British frontier policy under Lord Minto.
The narrative culminates in the making of the Indus Waters Treaty, exposing British duplicity, Nehru’s approach, and the strategic motivations behind U.S. alignment with Pakistan. The book argues that Pakistan used the waters dispute as a diplomatic weapon at the UN to further its claim over Kashmir.
Meticulously researched, Indus Basin Uninterrupted is a valuable contribution to literature on water diplomacy, historical geography, and India-Pakistan relations. Its rich archival base and geopolitical insight make it indispensable for understanding the enduring politics of the Indus.