A new study by researchers at IIT Gandhinagar reveals the Indus and Ganga rivers are moving in opposite water directions. From 1980 to 2021, the Indus Basin's water flow rose by 8%, while the Ganga Basin's flow fell sharply by 17%. The study, published in Earth's Future, links higher Indus flow to more rain, especially from western disturbances and monsoons. However, parts of the Indus basin like the Ravi and Sutlej rivers saw declines. Meanwhile, the Ganga Basin faces 10% less rainfall and rising temperatures. The main reason for its drop is heavy groundwater pumping for irrigation. Groundwater feeds rivers during dry months, but in some places, rivers lose water to depleted underground reserves. The research estimates 60-80% of the flow reduction in key Ganga tributaries like Yamuna stems from pumping groundwater. Professor Vimal Mishra of IIT-Gandhinagar, co-author of the study, notes that these trends demand revisiting water-sharing treaties like the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. India suspended the treaty in April 2025 and has sped up hydropower projects on the western rivers. The authors urge integrated management of surface and groundwater, better water use efficiency, and crop changes. Without coordinated efforts, the Ganga Basin's water crisis may worsen, threatening water security across South Asia.