MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): An international publication has cautioned that any move by India to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty could backfire.
In a recent piece, The Diplomat pointed out that India’s decision to unilaterally terminate the treaty might prove damaging.
The Diplomat is the premier international current affairs magazine for the Asia-Pacific region, which covers politics, society, and culture in the region. It is based in Washington, D.C.
The magazine warned that such a step could trigger a reaction from China, possibly leading to the stoppage of water flowing into India through the Brahmaputra River.
According to the report, the Brahmaputra provides around 30 per cent of India’s total freshwater. Not only that, it also contributes nearly 44 per cent of the country’s hydroelectric power generation capacity.
The Diplomat further noted that China is already working on several large dam projects along the Brahmaputra. It is important to remember that the World Bank has already stated that India cannot suspend the Indus Waters Treaty on its own.
In a recent interview with CNBC, World Bank President Ajay Banga made it clear that there is no provision for unilateral suspension of the treaty.
He also said that the treaty could only be changed or ended if both countries involved agreed to it. He added that the World Bank’s role in this agreement is limited to that of a facilitator.
Defence experts have backed the World Bank President’s statement, saying it proves India does not have the authority to walk away from the treaty by itself.
They added that any such move would be a clear breach of international law. The experts believe that the World Bank’s comments have exposed India’s aggressive designs, which they say have now failed to gain any ground.
Previously, in a letter addressed to India concerning the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by the neighbouring country, Secretary Water Syed Ali Murtaza had informed his Indian counterpart that India’s move to suspend the treaty was illegal.
The letter reiterated Pakistan’s stance that it considered the Indus Waters Treaty to remain in its original form, asserting that there was no room for any unilateral alterations to the treaty.
