Inter-Dominion Accord

India-Pakistan [1948]

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July 21, 2026

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The Inter-Dominion Accord of May 4, 1948, was a temporary agreement between India and Pakistan that addressed the critical issue of water sharing from the Indus River system. Following the partition of British India, the Radcliffe Line divided Punjab's irrigation system, leaving headworks in India and canals in Pakistan. When India halted canal water to Pakistan on April 1, 1948, this accord restored the flow in exchange for payments, pending a more permanent resolution. This agreement was a precursor to the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, which ultimately resolved water rights between the two nations.1

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Indus Waters Treaty
The Inter-Dominion Accord of May 4, 1948, required India to provide water to the Pakistani parts of the basin in return for annual payments. This too was intended as a stopgap measure, with further talks to take place in hopes of reaching a permanent solution.
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The Inter-Dominion Accord of May 4, 1948, required India to provide water to the Pakistani parts of the basin in return for annual payments. This too was intended as a stopgap measure, with further talks to take place in hopes of reaching a permanent solution.
Read More