India Had Suspended Indus Water Treaty Without Informing World Bank

The World Bank has not been informed of India바카라�s decision to place the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) 바카라�in abeyance,바카라� even as India formally communicated the move to Pakistan following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that killed at least 26 people.

Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, wrote to her Pakistan counterpart Syed Ali Murtaza on Thursday:

바카라�The obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental to a treaty. However, what we have seen instead is sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.바카라�

Her letter added that the 바카라�security uncertainties바카라� have directly impeded India바카라�s 바카라�full utilisation rights바카라� and Pakistan바카라�s failure to respond to past renegotiation requests was a 바카라�breach of trust.바카라�

Despite the treaty바카라�s international significance and the World Bank바카라�s historical role as a mediator in disputes under the IWT, a government source said that since Pakistan had been informed, there was 바카라�no need바카라� to inform the World Bank.

In response, a World Bank spokesperson said:

바카라�It did not opine on treaty-related sovereign decisions taken by its member countries.바카라�

Reaffirming its longstanding view on the IWT, the Bank stated:

바카라�The Indus Water Treaty is an agreement between India and Pakistan that has been profoundly important and successful for more than 60 years.바카라�

When asked about further action, the spokesperson clarified that the Bank was only a 바카라�signatory to the treaty for a limited set of defined tasks.바카라�

The treaty, signed in 1960, governs the use of waters from the Indus basin, with India restricted from building storage-heavy projects on the Western rivers , Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. While the Permanent Indus Commission facilitates technical cooperation between the countries, it has not met since 2022.

In 2023, India had called for a renegotiation of the treaty citing changing realities, including rising water demand, climate-related challenges, and national security. India바카라�s main demand was to evolve a new dispute resolution mechanism.

A scientist affiliated to the Central Water Commission stated:

바카라�For India to weaponise the waters of the Indus, it has to completely ignore the IWT. Under the current terms of the treaty, this can바카라�t be done.바카라�

Sources indicated that following the Pahalgam attack, India is exploring options 바카라�never considered바카라� before, such as redesigning hydropower projects to increase water storage and using 바카라�draw down flushing바카라� a technique primarily used for maintenance but with potential to affect downstream flow.