Harnessing the Indus Waters: Perspectives from India
· 01 Oct, 2009 · 129 · Issue Brief
Invariably every comment on the Indus Water Treaty (1960) between India and Pakistan have focused that despite wars of 1965, 1971 and 1999 and a border confrontation between 2001-02, India and Pakistan have not violated the treaty. Besides, this is seen as the only success story between India and Pakistan; hence their is resistance to tinker/amend the treaty.
Few Points need to be highlighted. If the treaty could be violated, it can be done only be one party to the contract-India. Pakistan being a lower riparian state cannot violate the treaty unless it prefers to make military actions to implement the treaty. Though India claims it has not violated the treaty in principle, some of its constructions, especially relating to barrages and dams are seen by Pakistan as being against the treaty. India has its own reasons to undertake those constructions. There have also been numerous complaints on those who actually negotiated the treaty in the 1950's, on both sides failed to achieve the interests of their respective countries. Finally, the treaty was signed in 1960 almost 50 years back in a different political, economic, demographic, ecological and energy environment.
About the Series
As a part of its ongoing project titled "Indo-Pak dialogue on Conflict Resolution and Peace Building," the Institute is publishing a series of background papers on various Indo-Pak bilateral issues. Besides, the Institute is also organizing track-II dialogue between the two countries in October 2009 in Bangkok.
For more information about this project, kindly visit the IPCS website, or click http://www.ipcs.org/projects_details.php?pages_id=43
Few Points need to be highlighted. If the treaty could be violated, it can be done only be one party to the contract-India. Pakistan being a lower riparian state cannot violate the treaty unless it prefers to make military actions to implement the treaty. Though India claims it has not violated the treaty in principle, some of its constructions, especially relating to barrages and dams are seen by Pakistan as being against the treaty. India has its own reasons to undertake those constructions. There have also been numerous complaints on those who actually negotiated the treaty in the 1950's, on both sides failed to achieve the interests of their respective countries. Finally, the treaty was signed in 1960 almost 50 years back in a different political, economic, demographic, ecological and energy environment.
About the Series
As a part of its ongoing project titled "Indo-Pak dialogue on Conflict Resolution and Peace Building," the Institute is publishing a series of background papers on various Indo-Pak bilateral issues. Besides, the Institute is also organizing track-II dialogue between the two countries in October 2009 in Bangkok.
For more information about this project, kindly visit the IPCS website, or click http://www.ipcs.org/projects_details.php?pages_id=43
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