Indus Water Treaty

India and Pakistan signed the IWT in September, 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory.

  • India Assesses The Indus Waters Treaty Modification Process
  • India and Pakistan signed the IWT in September, 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory.
  • The treaty prescribed how water from the six rivers of the Indus River System would be shared between India and Pakistan.
  • It allocated the three western rivers—Indus, Chenab and Jhelum—to Pakistan for unrestricted use, barring certain non-consumptive, agricultural and domestic uses by India and the three Eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas and Sutlej—were allocated to India for unrestricted usage

Permanent Indus Commission

  • It also required both the countries to establish a Permanent Indus Commission constituted by permanent commissioners.
  • According to the provisions of the IWT, the Permanent Indus Commission is required to meet at least once a year.

 

Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project

  • It is a run-of-the-river project .
  • It requires to divert water from the Kishanganga River through a tunnel to a power plant in the Jhelum River basin.
  • Pakistan objected to the project arguing that it will affect the flow of the Kishanganga River (called the Neelum River in Pakistan).
  • In 2013, The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration (CoA) ruled that India could divert all the water with certain conditions

Dispute Resolution Mechanism

  • While Pakistan has rights over the waters of Jhelum, Chenab and Indus, Annexure C of the IWT allows India certain agricultural uses, while Annexure D allows it to build ‘run of the river’ hydropower projects, meaning projects not requiring live storage of water.
  • Disputes (“questions”) on both sides can be resolved at the Permanent Commission, or can also be taken up at the inter-government level.
  • In case of unresolved questions or “differences” between the countries on water-sharing, such as technical differences, either side can approach the World Bank to appoint a Neutral Expert (NE) to come to a decision.
  • if either party is not satisfied with the NE’s decision or in case of “disputes” in the interpretation and extent of the treaty, matters can be referred to a Court of Arbitration.