Quick Take
Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed.
The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty was announced by India on Wednesday.
Both short-term and long-term options were discussed at Friday’s meeting
Desilting of existing dams is one of the options in the short-term
New Delhi:
Emphasising the importance of suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil has said India will ensure that not even a “drop of water” from the Indus river goes to Pakistan.
Mr Patil said this in a post on Friday after a meeting at Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence, which was also attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and top officials.
“The historic decision taken by the Modi government on the Indus Water Treaty is completely justified and in the national interest. We will ensure that not even a drop of water from the Indus River goes to Pakistan,” Mr Patil wrote in Hindi on X.
The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 was announced by India on Wednesday as part of a series of steps taken after the dastardly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in which 25 tourists and a local were killed. The Jal Shakti Ministry then sent a letter on Thursday to Syed Ali Murtuza, Secretary in the Ministry of Water Resources of Pakistan, notifying the decision.
“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,” the ministry said in the letter.
Priority Areas
Top officials said a detailed plan for India’s next steps was discussed in the meeting at Mr Shah’s residence and it was decided that the implementation of the treaty’s suspension will begin immediately.
“Several long-term plans are on the table but the priority is a plan that can serve as a blueprint for the immediate and mid-term future,” an official said.
As part of the Indus Water Treaty, which was brokered by the World Bank, India has full right over the three eastern rivers in the Indus system – Ravi, Beas and Sutlej – while Pakistan gets access to around 135 million acre feet (MAF) of water from the three Western rivers – Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab – all of which flow downstream to the country from India.
Among the options that are on the table in the short term, the Centre is looking at de-silting existing dams on the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab and increasing reservoir capacity, all of which will reduce the water flowing into Pakistan.
Pakistan has been objecting to two hydroelectric projects by India – Kishenganga on a tributary of the Jhelum and Ratle, which is under construction on a tributary of the Chenab. The suspension of the treaty will allow India to ignore Pakistan’s objections.
In the longer term, building new dams and infrastructure on these rivers is also something that is being considered.
Legal Response
The officials said a legal response is also being drafted in case there is any pressure from the World Bank or any other international institutions. Diplomatic efforts will also continue to ensure other countries know why India took the step.
“The government’s intent is also to ensure that people in India face no or very little inconvenience because of this. The Jal Shakti, Home and Ministry of External Affairs are working on this in a coordinated fashion,” an official said.
Pakistan has already indicated that it is rattled by the suspension of the treaty. “Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus Waters Treaty… will be considered as an Act of War and responded with full force across the complete spectrum of National Power,” Pakistan’s government said in a statement on Thursday.
