One-sided, not feasible to maintain: India sends notice to Pakistan, demands modification of Indus Waters Treaty

India has sent a notice to Pakistan demanding a modification of the Indus Waters Treaty, News 18 reported on Wednesday, citing sources. According to the notice, New Delhi stated that maintaining the treaty in its current form is no longer feasible given present-day scenario, and thus it requires revision. India has labeled the treaty as 'one-sided' and suggested that various provisions need reassessment. 

The Indus Water Treaty (IWT), a water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan, was signed on September 19, 1960. The Indus system of rivers comprises three Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej and their tributaries) and three Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab and their tributaries). As per the treaty, India controls about 20% of the total water of the Indus system, while Pakistan gets about 80%. 

Security analysts in India argue that the treaty is unfair given the country's larger size, population, and growing water needs. Also, given the political and military tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad, some analysts argue that the treaty gives Pakistan a strategic advantage over India. They claim that India should have more leverage over the western rivers, particularly in times of conflict or heightened tensions.

The notice was issued to Pakistan on August 30 under Article XII(3) of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). The notice highlights fundamental and unforeseen changes in circumstances that require a reassessment of obligations under various articles of the treaty. 

Among various concerns, the important ones include change in population demographics, environmental issues and the need to accelerate development of clean energy to meet India's emission targets, sources told PTI. India also cited the impact of persistent cross border terrorism as one of the reasons for demanding the review. It was the second time in over one-and-half years that India issued a notice to Pakistan seeking modification of the IWT. 

"The notification was issued in the background of a separate prolonged controversy with respect to Kishanganga and Ratle Hydro Projects," a source told the news agency. "In this regard, the World Bank has simultaneously activated both the neutral expert mechanism and the Court of Arbitration on the same set of issues," it said. 

"The Indian side has, therefore, also called for reconsideration of the dispute resolution mechanism under the treaty," it added. With this notification, India has called Pakistan to begin government-to-government negotiations in order to review the treaty under the provisions of Article XII(3), the sources said. 

In January last year, India issued the first notice to Pakistan seeking a review and modification of the treaty following Islamabad's "intransigence" in handling certain disputes. New Delhi took the significant step months after the World Bank announced appointing a neutral expert and a chair of Court of Arbitration to resolve the differences over the Kishenganga and Ratle Hydro Electric Projects in Jammu and Kashmir. 

(With inputs from PTI)