Identify the river of the Indian sub-continent on the basis of the following information : 1. It has an antecedent drainage system. 2. It flows through three countries. 3. It originates in the Tibetan Plateau and is an important river for irrigation. 4. It does not form distributaries. Select the answer from the following :

The Indus river is antecedent (it predates the rise of the Himalayas and cut through them as they rose). It flows through three countries: China (Tibet), India, and Pakistan. It originates near Lake Mansarovar in the Tibetan Plateau and is the lifeline for irrigation in Pakistan (Indus Basin Irrigation System) and parts of India. Unlike Ganga or Brahmaputra, the Indus does not form distributaries before its mouth — it has a relatively straight course to the Arabian Sea. Brahmaputra forms distributaries in Bangladesh. Sutlej is a tributary of Indus and does not directly meet the sea. Teesta is a tributary of Brahmaputra. Hence Indus fits all four criteria.