Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on September 18, 2024
India seeks review of Indus Water Treaty, serves notice to Pakistan
According to sources, India raised concerns about demographic changes, environmental issues, and the need to accelerate the development of clean energy while seeking a review of the Indus Water Treaty.
Indus Water Treaty governs the sharing of waters of six rivers in the Indus system between India and Pakistan. (Wikimedia Commons)
India has sent a formal notice to Pakistan seeking a review of the Indus Water Treaty, sources said on Wednesday.
India and Pakistan signed the IWT on September 19, 1960, after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory to the pact, which sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two sides on the use of the waters of several cross-border rivers.
Sources said the notice was issued to Pakistan on August 30 under Article XII(3) of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). India’s notification highlights fundamental and unforeseen changes in circumstances that require a reassessment of obligations under various articles of the treaty, they said.
Sources said that among various concerns, the important ones are a change in demographics, environmental issues, and the need to accelerate the development of clean energy to meet India’s emission targets. India has also cited the impact of persistent cross-border terrorism as one of the reasons for demanding the review.
“The notification was issued in the background of a separate prolonged controversy with respect to the Kishanganga and Ratle hydro projects,” a source said.
“In this regard, the World Bank has simultaneously activated both the neutral-expert mechanism and the Court of Arbitration on the same set of issues,” the source added.
“The Indian side has, therefore, also called for a reconsideration of the dispute-resolution mechanism under the treaty,” the source said.
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With this notification, India has called on Pakistan to begin government-to-government negotiations to review the treaty under the provisions of Article XII(3), the sources said.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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