SUBCONTINENT

Indus Water Treaty: Expert backs India’s stand

Wednesday, 22 Jan, 2025
The Indus Water Treaty seeks to ensure equitable water distribution between India and Pakistan. (Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

New Delhi: A World Bank-appointed neutral expert has backed New Delhi’s position on the framework to resolve certain disputes between India and Pakistan on the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects.

While India has been pressing for resolution of the issues by the neutral expert as mandated under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) between the two countries, Pakistan has been backing the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to resolve them.

“India welcomes the decision given by the Neutral Expert under Paragraph 7 of Annexure F to the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960. The decision upholds and vindicates India’s stand that all seven (07) questions that were referred to the Neutral Expert, in relation to the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects, are differences falling within his competence under the Treaty," a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement read.

The Ministry reiterated that India and Pakistan remain in touch on the matter of modification and review of the Indus Waters Treaty, under Article XII (3) of the Treaty. Last year, India had sent a formal notice to Pakistan seeking a “review” of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The notice was issued to Pakistan on August 30, 2024, under Article XII (3) of the IWT.

Signed in 1960, the Indus Water Treaty sought to ensure equitable water distribution amid growing tensions between India and Pakistan. India was granted unrestricted access to the water from the ‘Eastern Rivers’ — the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi — and Pakistan retained rights to the waters from the ‘Western Rivers’ Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.