&w=3840&q=100)
'Treaties are built on trust which can't flow with terror': Ex-diplomat on India's stand on Indus Waters Treaty
After India rejected The Hague-based Court of Arbitration's (CoA) ruling in the Indus Waters Treaty, former senior diplomat Syed Akbaruddin said that treaties are built on trust and trust cannot flow with terrorism.
Last month, the CoA had ruled that it remained competent to arbitrate Pakistan's concerns over the Indus Waters Treaty despite India suspending the treaty. Pakistan had sought the CoA to arbitrate its concerns over India making two hydropower projects on the Indus River System prior to the treaty's suspension.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Days after the Pahalgam attack in which terrorists killed 26 people, India on April 23 announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. India has said that the treaty would not be restored until Pakistan addresses terrorism-related concerns.
In an article for The Indian Express, Akbaruddin said that while the CoA's ruling may be procedurally valid as it reflects the logic of legal permanence, the law cannot be blind to context and India did not put the treaty in abeyance lightly.
'It placed the Treaty in abeyance after Pakistan-based terrorists killed dozens of Indians in a brazen attack in Pahalgam on April 22. When blood stains the snow of the Pir Panjal, the abstractions of international law ring hollow. India has not cut off water or violated Pakistan's share. Instead, it has frozen the instruments of cooperation as a wake-up call. The message is stark: Treaties are built on trust, and trust cannot flow when terror does,' noted Akbaruddin, a former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations.
Akbaruddin also said that India must not re-engage with Pakistan on the Indus waters and other issues until there is evidence of action against terrorism.
Akbaruddin said that 'India should craft a diplomatic path that links re-engagement to Pakistan's demonstrable action on terror'.
'This is not a compromise. It is conditional justice. If Pakistan wants the benefits of the Indus water system, it must stop using terror as a tool. India must also speak to the world with clarity. It is not undermining peace. It is demanding that peace be real. It is not holding water hostage. It is refusing to be hostage to hypocrisy,' noted Akbaruddin.
At the same time, India must expand infrastructure to fully utilise both its entitled share of the eastern rivers and its permissible use of the western rivers under the Indus treaty under a transparent, precise, and speedy manner, noted Akbaruddin.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
6 minutes ago
- Mint
Daunted by geopolitics, trade war, US companies in China report record-low new investment plans
Washington, American companies in China are reporting record-low new investment plans for this year and declining confidence in their profitability, with uncertainty in US-China relations and President Donald Trump's tariffs their top concerns, according to a new survey. The companies are also challenged by China's slowing economy, where weak domestic demand and overcapacity in local industries are eroding profitability for the Americans. 'Businesses in China are less profitable now than they were years ago, but risks, including reputational risk, regulatory risk, and political risk, are increasing,' said Sean Stein, the president of the US-China Business Council, a Washington-based group that represents American companies doing business in China, including major multinationals. The survey, conducted between March and May and drawing from 130 member companies, was released Wednesday. It came as the two countries clash over tariffs and non-tariff measures, including export controls on critical products such as rare-earth magnets and advanced computer chips. Following high-level talks in Geneva and London, US and Chinese officials agreed to pull back from sky-high tariffs and restrictions on exports, but uncertainty persists as the two sides are yet to hammer out a more permanent trade deal. Kyle Sullivan, vice president of business advisory services at the USCBC, said more than half of the companies in the survey indicated they do not have new investment plans in China 'at all' this year. "That's a record high,' Sullivan said, noting that it is 'a new development that we have not observed in previous surveys'. Around 40% of companies reported negative effects from US export control measures, with many experiencing lost sales, severed customer relationships, and reputational damage from being unreliable suppliers, according to the survey. Citing national security, the US government has banned exports to China of high-tech products, such as the most advanced chips, which could help boost China's military capabilities. Stein argued that export controls must be very carefully targeted, because businesses from Europe or Japan, or local businesses in China would immediately fill the void left by American companies. Silicon Valley chipmaker Nvidia won approval from the Trump administration to resume sales to China of its advanced H20 chips used to develop artificial intelligence, its CEO Jensen Huang announced on Monday, though the company's most powerful chips remain under US export control rules. While 82% of US companies reported profits in 2024, fewer than half are optimistic about the future in China, reflecting concerns over tariffs, deflation, and policy uncertainty, according to the survey. Also, a record high number of American businesses plan to relocate their business operations outside of China, Sullivan said, as 27% of the members indicated so, up from 19% the year before. In a departure from past surveys, concerns over China's regulatory environment, including risks of intellectual property misuse and lack of market access, didn't make it to the top five concerns this year. That's likely a first, and not for a good reason, Stein said. 'It is not because things got dramatically better on the Chinese side, but the new challenges, often coming from the US, are now posing as much of a challenge,' Stein said. Almost all the American companies said they cannot remain globally competitive without their Chinese operations. A survey from the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China in May found that European companies were cutting costs and scaling back investment plans in China as its economy slows and fierce competition drives down prices. SCY SCY This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
NDTV
18 minutes ago
- NDTV
The Anguish Of Nimisha Priya And The Imperative Of Compassion
My heart, like those of countless fellow Keralites, is heavy with the plight of Nimisha Priya. This young woman, a daughter of our soil, finds herself ensnared in a legal quagmire of the most profound and perilous nature in Yemen, facing the grim prospect of the gallows. It is a predicament that transcends mere jurisprudence; it is a deeply human tragedy, especially for her family - parents, husband and child - resonating with the universal fear of losing a loved one to circumstances far beyond their control. Death Of A Dream Nimisha's story is, sadly, one that epitomises the hopes and vulnerabilities of many Keralites who seek opportunity in distant lands. She embarked for Yemen with dreams of a better future, a future for herself and, crucially, for her family back in Kerala. Yet, these dreams tragically transmuted into a nightmare, culminating in the death of a Yemeni national, Talal Abdo Mahdi. Though it seems this individual, her employer and partner, was harassing and abusing her, leading to her alleged criminal killing of him, her subsequent conviction and death sentence remains inexpressibly tragic. While the intricacies of the Yemeni legal system, particularly its adherence to Sharia law, are profoundly different from our own, the immediate human crisis demands our utmost attention and empathy. A Complex Situation The core of her precarious situation lies in the concept of 'blood money' or diya - a pathway to pardon recognised under Sharia law, whereby the victim's family may accept financial compensation in lieu of execution. Indians' collective efforts, both governmental and private, have been tirelessly directed towards this avenue. The family has not so far accepted the amounts offered and is insisting on her execution. The reported postponement of her execution, originally scheduled for today - albeit a temporary deferral - offers a flicker of hope, a precious window of opportunity that we must seize with every fibre of our being. The path to her possible reprieve has been fraught, to say the least. Our Ministry of External Affairs has been doing its best, in circumstances complicated by the Civil War in Yemen and the irregular situation of the authorities holding her, as well as by the fact that the Indian Embassy has been relocated out of the country because of the grim political and security situation there, and is operating from a camp office in Djibouti in North Africa since April 2015. This operational constraint, born of dire necessity, has unfortunately hampered the efficacy of our diplomatic overtures thus far. The Intervention Of The Grand Mufti It is within this challenging landscape that a new, vital beacon of hope has emerged. The intervention of the Grand Mufti of India, Ustad Kanthapuram A.P. Abubakar Musliyar, the esteemed General Secretary of All India Sunni Jamiatul Ulama and Chancellor of Jamia Markaz, through his long-standing friendship with the revered Yemeni Sufi Islamic scholar Sheikh Habib Umar bin Hafiz, offers a slender ray of hope and even optimism. All of Kerala now unites in fervent prayer for the success of his crucial efforts. In an era increasingly characterised by attempts to divide people and foster hatred and animosity in the name of religion and community, the venerable Kanthapuram Ustad has delivered a powerful and timely message. His humanitarian initiative underscores a fundamental truth: that humanity stands paramount above all divisions of religion, gender or community. It is a testament to the enduring power of compassion and cross-cultural understanding in navigating even the most intractable of crises. This is not about condoning any alleged wrongdoing, but about upholding the fundamental human right to life, and exploring every conceivable diplomatic and humanitarian channel to secure her reprieve. It is a stark reminder of the complexities inherent in the lives of our citizens who seek their fortunes abroad, often in regions fraught with political instability and distinct legal frameworks. The case of Nimisha Priya compels us to reflect on the imperative of robust consular support and proactive engagement in safeguarding the interests of our diaspora. Our government has, commendably, stated its commitment to doing "whatever is utmost possible", and indeed, the latest intervention by such a respected religious figure has bought us invaluable time. We Need A Diplomatic Offensive As a public representative from her home state, my plea is not merely for bureaucratic intervention, but for a concerted, compassionate, and indefatigable diplomatic offensive. We must ensure that every conceivable effort is made to engage with the victim's family, to appeal to their sense of forbearance, and to facilitate any viable resolution through the established legal and customary pathways in Yemen. This is a moment that calls for the very best of Indian diplomacy and humanitarian outreach. We owe it to Nimisha Priya, and to every Indian citizen abroad, to exhaust every avenue to bring her home, or at the very least, to save her life. For in saving one life, we reaffirm our collective humanity - and our solidarity with every Indian in distress, wherever she may be, anywhere in the world. (Shashi Tharoor has been a Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, since 2009. He is an author and a former diplomat.) Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
India.com
36 minutes ago
- India.com
Iran-Israel war: How did Iranian missiles Iron Dome, Arrow-3 penetrate Israel's powerful air defense during the war, Explained
Iran-Israel war: How did Iranian missiles Iron Dome, Arrow-3 penetrate Israel's powerful air defense during the war, Explained Iran surprised the whole world with its missile capability during last month's fierce military confrontation with Israel. The way Iran succeeded in penetrating Israel's air defenses by improving its performance during the 12-day war has forced defense analysts to think afresh. Missile defense analysts have now explained how Iran penetrated Israel's three-tier air defense system. Israeli and Washington-based think tanks believe that as the war progressed, the success rate of Iran's missiles increased. The Wall Street Journal report quoted experts as saying that Tehran began firing more advanced, long-range missiles from wider locations in Iran's interior. Iran timed its attacks better and spread its targets in Israel. Despite the fact that most missiles and drones were intercepted, a considerable number of Iranian missiles were successful in hitting Israeli targets. Systems like Israeli Iron Dome and Arrow-3 also proved inadequate. How many missiles fell in Israel in second week of war? The report said that only 8 percent of Iranian missiles hit Israeli air defenses in the first six days of the war, but that rate doubled to 16 percent by the second half of the conflict, according to the Washington-based Jewish Institute for National Security (JINSA). Mora Deitch, head of data analysis at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), said these figures do not include failed launches and interceptions outside Israeli airspace. How Iran carried out the most successful attack? According to JINSA's analysis, Iran 's most successful attack was on June 22, two days before the ceasefire, when 10 of the 27 missiles fired hit targets in Israel. 'The data show that Iran successfully chose 'how, when and what' to fire,' said Ari Sicurel, JINSA's associate director for foreign policy. Israel's air defense systems, developed in conjunction with the US, are among the world's most advanced, but even the best air defense systems are not impenetrable, the Wall Street Journal reported. During the war, the IDF reported intercepting 90-95 percent of its missiles. Data after the ceasefire showed an overall rate of 86 percent.
