The case for updating the Indus Waters Treaty, Pg18

Key Highlights:

• India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty "in abeyance" following terrorist strikes in Pahalgam.
• India issued notices in 2023 and 2024 to Pakistan for modification and renegotiation of the treaty.
• Pakistan organized an international conference, threatening consequences if river flows in the Indus basin were disrupted.
• The need for reviewing the treaty has been articulated by experts for several years due to dynamic river systems and changing needs.

Detailed Insights:

• India's decision to hold the treaty in abeyance is an exceptional measure against Pakistan's continued support for cross-border terrorism.
• Many transboundary river water-sharing arrangements globally include provisions for periodic review and adaptation.
• The Indus Waters Treaty is not static, with Article VII allowing for new engineering works and Article XII providing for modification through another government-level treaty.
• India's 1996 agreement with Bangladesh on the Ganga River has a 30-year validity and is due for renewal this year.
• The Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), established by the treaty, primarily functions as an implementing agency, unlike more flexible bodies like the Mekong River Commission.
• The treaty lacks provisions for groundwater resources, water quality, and maintaining environmental flows, which are crucial for modern water management.
• Unlike most water-sharing agreements, the Indus Waters Treaty allocates entire rivers to one party, rather than sharing volumes or percentages.
• A study by IIT Gandhinagar researchers Vimal Mishra and Urmin Vegad highlighted how climate change is differently affecting water availability in the Indus basin.
• The eastern rivers' basins have seen a 20% decline in annual rainfall over the last 70 years, while western rivers' precipitation remained largely unchanged.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Indus Waters Treaty (IWT): A water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank, signed in 1960.
• Permanent Indus Commission (PIC): A bilateral commission established under the IWT to implement and manage the treaty.
• Transboundary River Treaties: Agreements between two or more countries concerning the management and sharing of water resources from rivers crossing international borders.
• Integrated Water Management: A process promoting the coordinated development and management of water, land, and related resources to maximize economic and social welfare equitably without compromising ecosystem sustainability.