File:Indus River (MODIS 2016-07-05).jpg

English: The primary river of Pakistan, the Indus River flows more than 1900 miles (3,060 km) from the Tibetan Himalayas to the Arabian Sea. Its winding route takes it through Indian, Afghanistan and China, then southwest through Pakistan, where the river's floodplain widens, providing rich soil and plentiful water for agriculture. As a result, large amounts of wheat, corn, rice, millet, dates and fruits are grown here. It is also Pakistan's most densely populated region.

The Indus receives its water from snowmelt in the Himalayas as well as rain. The water levels in the Indus are, therefore, subject to flux depending on temperature and precipitation. As a lifeline to so many people, the welfare of the water supply is a topic of concern.

Salt-water intrusion into the Indus Delta due to rising sea levels has already had an impact. Not only are islands disappearing under water, but where the saline water of the Arabian Sea soaks agricultural land, it damages the soil and makes growing crops difficult, if not impossible.

Another major concern is reduced water flow, especially when juxtaposed to increasing demand from a rising population. An article in Nature, published in June 2016, reports that the "Indus River, which supports the lives of 300 million people, is supplying Pakistan with less water than it did 50 years ago, particularly in the spring and summer." The article raises concerns about the water supply of the Indus in a warming world.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite flew over Pakistan on June 23, 2016, and acquired this true-color image of the Indus River and its Delta. The green of the river delta contrasts sharply with the tan of the arid land. The Arabian Sea sits at the lower edge of the image.