The World Bank has not been informed of India바카라s decision to place the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) 바카라in 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:
바카라The 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 바카라security uncertainties바카라 have directly impeded India바카라s 바카라full utilisation rights바카라 and Pakistan바카라s failure to respond to past renegotiation requests was a 바카라breach of trust.바카라
Despite the treaty바카라s international significance and the World Bank바카라s historical role as a mediator in disputes under the IWT, a government source said that since Pakistan had been informed, there was 바카라no need바카라 to inform the World Bank.
In response, a World Bank spokesperson said:
바카라It did not opine on treaty-related sovereign decisions taken by its member countries.바카라
Reaffirming its longstanding view on the IWT, the Bank stated:
바카라The 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 바카라signatory 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. India바카라s main demand was to evolve a new dispute resolution mechanism.
A scientist affiliated to the Central Water Commission stated:
바카라For India to weaponise the waters of the Indus, it has to completely ignore the IWT. Under the current terms of the treaty, this can바카라t be done.바카라
Sources indicated that following the Pahalgam attack, India is exploring options 바카라never considered바카라 before, such as redesigning hydropower projects to increase water storage and using 바카라draw down flushing바카라 a technique primarily used for maintenance but with potential to affect downstream flow.
