Understanding the Indus Waters Treaty

What is the river water-sharing treaty between India and Pakistan and why are delegations from both countries set to meet in March? 

The story so far: A 10-member delegation from India will visit Pakistan on February 28, to attend the 117th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission, from March 1-3. The Indian Commissioner of Indus Waters, Pradeep Saxena, will lead the delegation visiting Islamabad, while the Pakistan side will be represented by its Commissioner for Indus Waters, Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah.

The two countries hold a yearly meeting to discuss cooperation on the Indus River System, as prescribed under Article VIII of the Indus Waters Treaty signed by both in 1960, with the intervention of the World Bank. The Commissioners are required to meet at least once a year, alternately in India and Pakistan.

The last time the commissions met was on March 23-24, 2021, when Pakistan’s delegation visited New Delhi, making the annual meet possible after more than two years. In 2019, the meeting was not held in the wake of Indo-Pak tensions in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack , while in 2020, the pandemic derailed the annual meeting.

In the upcoming meeting, Pakistan is likely bring up its objections to three Indian Hydropower projects in the Chenab basin in Jammu and Kashmir- the 1000 Megawatt (MW) Pakal Dul project, the 48 MW Lower Kalnai project and the 624 MW Kiru project, aside from other smaller Hydropower units India wants to develop in Ladakh. India has already said, however, that all the projects are in full compliance with the Indus Waters treaty.

The Indus river basin has six rivers- Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej; originating from Tibet and flowing through the Himalayan ranges to enter Pakistan, ending in the south of Karachi.

In 1947, the line of partition, aside from delineating geographical boundaries for India and Pakistan, also cut the Indus river system into two. Both the sides were dependent on water from the Indus river basin to keep their irrigation infrastructure functional and therefore, equitable distribution was needed.

Initially, the Inter-dominion accord of May, 1948 was adopted, where both countries, after meeting for a conference, decided that India would supply water to Pakistan in exchange for an annual payment made by the latter. This agreement however, soon disintegrated as both the countries could not agree upon its common interpretations.