Context
The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), signed in the year 1960, is a bilateral treaty between India and Pakistan, for the sharing of water from the Indus River and its Application Exception: SDK Applied Sciences International 78.
About the Treaty
- The IWT divides the waters of these six rivers of the Indus System including Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum between the two countries, India and Pakistan.
- India has authority over the three Eastern Rivers while Pakistan has authority over three western Rivers.
- For the management of the above said water share and to address the issue the treaty also formed the Permanent Indus Commission.
Significance
- It is widely acknowledged that the IWT is among the most successful water sharing agreements of the world which has so far endured several India-Pakistan conflicts.
- It has made the most of water that is available in both countries catering for the use in the agricultural sector and in generation of hydro power.
- The treaty has also paved the way for diplomatic relations and negotiation between the two sovereign countries.
Pros
- Water Security: The IWT also puts in place the mechanism of equitable sharing of water but more importantly makes sure that the two countries’ water needs are met.
- Agricultural Development: Another aspect where the treaty has affected both the countries is in provision of irrigation systems that have promoted agriculture.
- Hydropower Generation: They signed the perennial use of water resources to construct hydropower that provides Powér for both countries.
Cons
- Limited Storage Capacity: The storage capacity in India of water from the western rivers is constrained which hampers the provision of delivering water to the farmers.
- Dispute Resolution: This has been regarded as the slow and inefficient manner in which the treaty addresses the issue of dispute resolution.
- Climate Change: Perhaps the most prominent disadvantage of the IWT is that the system does not deal with climate change effects on water resources, which is a major threat to the system’s sustainability.
Challenges
- Political Tensions: The relations between India and Pakistan are not cordial; this has impacted on cooperation under the treaty.
- Water Scarcity: Water resources have been threatened by climate change as well as rising water demands, making the sharing of the resource more of a contentious issue.
- Infrastructural Development: Indian desire to go ahead with constructions of hydropower projects have been opposed by Pakistan.
Conclusion and Way Forward
- The review notice of the Indus Waters Treaty given by India to Pakistan emphasises the time to rethink the treaty.
- To address the challenges and ensure the treaty’s continued success, both countries should:
- Update the Treaty: Propose main aspects accustoming to climate change, water availability and infrastructural expansion.
- Enhance Cooperation: Enhance existing organisations like the Permanent Indus Commission for the intended purpose of negotiation and conflict solving.
- Foster Regional Stability: Strengthen stability in the south through cooperation on water resources and enhance both economic and political stability.
In conclusion, looking at the efforts in the Indus Waters Treaty review, the prospective is intact that India and Pakistan can go a long way in chanting their course of cooperation and finding the solutions pertaining to shared water woes.
Source: The Indian Express