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DW
24-06-2025
- Business
- DW
Trump's dealmaker claims up tension between India, US – DW – 06/23/2025
There is new friction in the India-US relationship after Washington claimed that it helped broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan by leveraging trade talks. US President Donald Trump's claim that he personally brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during May's conflict has caused some diplomatic friction. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Trump in a telephone call that the ceasefire was achieved through talks between the Indian and Pakistani militaries and not US mediation, India's foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, said in a statement following the call. "PM Modi told President Trump clearly that during this period, there was no talk at any stage on subjects like India-US trade deal or US mediation between India and Pakistan," Misri said. "Prime Minister Modi emphasized that India has not accepted mediation in the past and never will," Misri added. There was no separate readout of the call from the White House. Modi and Trump were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Canada, but didn't because of the US president's hasty departure due to the situation in the Middle East. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Although Modi and Trump enjoy a personal rapport, there is a belief that Trump's unpredictability and transactional approach to foreign policy matters may be straining the relationship. India is currently negotiating a trade deal with the United States, but talks have encountered hurdles as the July 9 deadline approaches for the end of a 90-day pause on most tariffs threatened by the Trump administration against US trade partners. Ajay Bisaria, a former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, told DW that India has so far handled Trump with strategic composure. "But, when the US president repeatedly and publicly claims an outsize role in mediating the recent India-Pakistan conflict, expect public corrections from India," Bisaria said. "Public opinion in India now tends to see the US as an unreliable partner," he added. Though Delhi understands that the India-US relationship is deeper than White House pronouncements, Bisaria said, Indian officials cannot ignore public diplomacy challenges. "Each time Washington indulges Pakistan's military, like President Trump's recent lunch with its army chief, General Asim Munir, it sends the wrong signal," Bisaria said. India has accused Pakistan of "supporting terrorism" from across the border after the April 22 attack on civilians in India-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people. The attack was claimed by a group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance, which India says is also known as The Resistance Front and is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist organization. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the attack, an allegation Pakistan has denied. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The lunch meeting between Trump and General Munir, which took place at the White House last week, was a unique event as it marked the first time a sitting US president officially hosted a Pakistani army chief who was not also serving as the head of state. Many viewed it as provocative given the recent tensions. "India's diplomatic message to the US will remain clear: Sanction — don't embrace — Pakistan's generals," Bisaria said. Meera Shankar, a former Indian envoy to the United States, had a different take. She told DW that it was perhaps somewhat clumsy to rebut Trump's claims of having brokered an end to the recent India-Pakistan conflict, since India did not seek a full-scale conflict. She said it was possible that the Trump administration had helped persuade Pakistan to pull back. "The Indian government was facing domestic criticism for allowing foreign intervention," Shankar said, "and I think the rebuttal was responding to this." "The feting of Asim Munir in the US must be seen in the context of the US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities," she said. "It is likely that the US was seeking some facilities from Pakistan in this context." Shankar said there was concern that the India-US strategic partnership could be coming under stress because of missteps from the Trump administration. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "There is a need to show sensitivity to each other's concerns and to strengthen communication," Shankar said. The United States cannot afford to isolate India in countering China's rise in the Indo-Pacific region. India will host the 2025 Quad Summit in September, with Trump expected to attend. The group — made up of the United States, Japan, Australia and India — focuses on promoting stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in response to China's assertiveness. The last time the Indian and US leaders met was in February after Trump was sworn in for his second presidential term, with the visit underscoring the importance both men placed on their relationship. Amitabh Mattoo, dean of the School of International Studies at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, told DW that the recent developments have introduced friction and mistrust into the relationship. "The US has pursued short-term and deal-based diplomacy," Mattoo said, "and this transactional approach has undermined mutual trust and fostered a sense of unpredictability." "This raises concerns about India's relations with the Trump administration … but the partnership can overcome challenges and shape a better, durable future — and also offer an opportunity for renewal," Mattoo said.
DW
23-06-2025
- Business
- DW
Trump's dealmaker claims cause tension between India and US – DW – 06/23/2025
There is new friction in the India-US relationship after Washington claimed that it helped broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan by leveraging trade talks. US President Donald Trump's claim that he personally brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during May's conflict has caused some diplomatic friction. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Trump in a telephone call that the ceasefire was achieved through talks between the Indian and Pakistani militaries and not US mediation, India's foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, said in a statement following the call. "PM Modi told President Trump clearly that during this period, there was no talk at any stage on subjects like India-US trade deal or US mediation between India and Pakistan," Misri said. "Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India has not accepted mediation in the past and never will," Misri added. There was no separate readout of the call from the White House. Modi and Trump were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Canada, but didn't because of the US president's hasty departure due to the situation in the Middle East. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Although Modi and Trump enjoy a personal rapport, there is a belief that Trump's unpredictability and transactional approach to foreign policy matters may be straining the relationship. India is currently negotiating a trade deal with the United States, but talks have encountered hurdles as the July 9 deadline approaches for the end of a 90-day pause on most tariffs threatened by the Trump administration against US trade partners. Ajay Bisaria, a former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, told DW that India has so far handled Trump with strategic composure. "But, when the US president repeatedly and publicly claims an outsized role in mediating the recent India-Pakistan conflict, expect public corrections from India," Bisaria said. "Public opinion in India now tends to see the US as an unreliable partner," Bisaria added. Though Delhi understands that the India-US relationship is deeper than White House pronouncements, Bisaria said, Indian officials cannot ignore public diplomacy challenges. "Each time Washington indulges Pakistan's military, like President Trump's recent lunch with its army chief, General Asim Munir, it sends the wrong signal," Bisaria said. India has accused Pakistan of "supporting terrorism" from across the border after the April 22 attack on civilians in India-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people. The attack was claimed by a group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance, which India says is also known as The Resistance Front and is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist organization. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the attack, an allegation Pakistan denies. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The lunch meeting between Trump and Munir, which took place at the White House last week, was a unique event as it marked the first time a sitting US president officially hosted a Pakistani army chief who was not also serving as the head of state. Many viewed it as a provocative move given the recent tensions. "India's diplomatic message to the US will remain clear: Sanction, don't embrace, Pakistan's generals," added Bisaria. Meera Shankar, a former Indian envoy to the United States, had a different take. Shankar told DW that it was perhaps somewhat clumsy to rebut Trump's claims of having brokered an end to the recent India-Pakistan conflict, since India did not seek a full-scale conflict. She said it was possible that the Trump administration had helped persuade Pakistan to pull back. "The Indian government was facing domestic criticism for allowing foreign intervention," Shankar said, "and I think the rebuttal was responding to this." "The feting of Asim Munir in the US must be seen in the context of the US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities," she said. "It is likely that the US was seeking some facilities from Pakistan in this context." Shankar said there was concern that the India-US Strategic Partnership could be coming under stress because of missteps from the Trump administration. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "There is a need to show sensitivity to each other's concerns and to strengthen communication," Shankar said. The United States cannot afford to isolate India in countering China's rise in the Indo-Pacific region. India will host the 2025 Quad Summit in September, with Trump expected to attend. The group — made up of the United States, Japan, Australia and India — focuses on promoting stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in response to China's assertiveness. The last time the Indian and US leaders met was in February after Trump was sworn in for his second presidential term, underscoring the importance both men placed on their relationship. Amitabh Mattoo, dean of the School of International Studies at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, told DW that the recent developments have introduced friction and mistrust into the relationship. "The US has pursued short-term and deal-based diplomacy," Mattoo said, "and this transactional approach has undermined mutual trust and fostered a sense of unpredictability." "This raises concerns about India's relations with the Trump administration … but the partnership can overcome challenges and shape a better, durable future — and also offer an opportunity for renewal," Mattoo said.
DW
23-06-2025
- Business
- DW
Trump's deal-maker claims cause tension between India and US – DW – 06/23/2025
There is new friction in the India-US relationship after Washington claimed that it helped broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan by leveraging trade talks. US President Donald Trump's claim that he personally brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during May's conflict has caused some diplomatic friction. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Trump in a telephone call that the ceasefire was achieved through talks between the Indian and Pakistani militaries, and not US mediation, India's foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, said in a statement following the call. "PM Modi told President Trump clearly that during this period, there was no talk at any stage on subjects like India-US trade deal or US mediation between India and Pakistan," Misri said. "Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India has not accepted mediation in the past and never will," Misri added. There was no separate readout of the call from the White House. Modi and Trump were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Canada, but didn't because of the US president's hasty departure due to the situation in the Middle East. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Although Modi and Trump enjoy a personal rapport, there is a belief that Trump's unpredictability and transactional approach to foreign policy matters may be straining the relationship. India is currently negotiating a trade deal with the United States, but talks have encountered hurdles as the July 9 deadline approaches for the end of a 90-day pause on most tariffs threatened by the Trump administration against US trade partners. Ajay Bisaria, a former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, told DW that India has so far handled Trump with strategic composure. "But, when the US president repeatedly and publicly claims an outsized role in mediating the recent India-Pakistan conflict, expect public corrections from India," Bisaria said. "Public opinion in India now tends to see the US as an unreliable partner," Bisaria added. Though Delhi understands that the India-US relationship is deeper than White House pronouncements, Bisaria said, Indian officials cannot ignore public diplomacy challenges. "Each time Washington indulges Pakistan's military — like President Trump's recent lunch with its army chief, General Asim Munir — it sends the wrong signal," Bisaria said. India has accused Pakistan of "supporting terrorism" from across the border after the April 22 attack on civilians in India-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people. The attack was claimed by a group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance, which India says is also known as The Resistance Front and is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist organization. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the attack, an allegation Pakistan denies. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The lunch meeting between Trump and Munir, which took place at the White House last week, was a unique event as it marked the first time a sitting US president officially hosted a Pakistani army chief who was not also serving as the head of state. Many viewed it as a provocative move given the recent tensions. "India's diplomatic message to the US will remain clear: Sanction —don't embrace — Pakistan's generals," added Bisaria. Meera Shankar, a former Indian envoy to the United States, had a different take. Shankar told DW that it was perhaps somewhat clumsy to rebut Trump's claims of having brokered an end to the recent India-Pakistan conflict, since India did not seek a full-scale conflict. She said it was possible that the Trump administration had helped persuade Pakistan to pull back. "The Indian government was facing domestic criticism for allowing foreign intervention," Shankar said, "and I think the rebuttal was responding to this." "The feting of Asim Munir in the US must be seen in the context of the US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities," she said. "It is likely that the US was seeking some facilities from Pakistan in this context." Shankar said there was concern that the India-US Strategic Partnership could be coming under stress because of missteps from the Trump administration. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "There is a need to show sensitivity to each other's concerns and to strengthen communication," Shankar said. The United States cannot afford to isolate India in countering China's rise in the Indo-Pacific region. India will host the 2025 Quad Summit in September, with Trump expected to attend. The group — made up of the United States, Japan, Australia and India — focuses on promoting stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in response to China's assertiveness. The last time the Indian and US leaders met was in February after Trump was sworn in for his second presidential term, underscoring the importance both men placed on their relationship. Amitabh Mattoo, dean of the School of International Studies at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, told DW that the recent developments have introduced friction and mistrust into the relationship. "The US has pursued short-term and deal-based diplomacy," Mattoo said, "and this transactional approach has undermined mutual trust and fostered a sense of unpredictability." "This raises concerns about India's relations with the Trump administration … but the partnership can overcome challenges and shape a better, durable future — and also offer an opportunity for renewal," Mattoo said.
DW
23-06-2025
- Business
- DW
Why India-US relations have hit a rough patch – DW – 06/23/2025
Tensions are rising between India and the US after Washington claimed it helped broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan by leveraging trade talks. US President Donald Trump's claim that he personally brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during last month's conflict has caused some diplomatic friction. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Trump in a telephone call that the ceasefire was achieved through talks between the Indian and Pakistani militaries — and not US mediation, India's foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, said in a statement following the call. "PM Modi told President Trump clearly that during this period, there was no talk at any stage on subjects like India-US trade deal or US mediation between India and Pakistan," Misri said. "Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India has not accepted mediation in the past and never will." There was no separate readout of the call from the White House. Modi and Trump were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Canada, but didn't because of the US president's hasty departure due to the situation in the Middle East. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Although Modi and Trump enjoy a personal rapport, there is a belief that Trump's unpredictability and transactional approach to foreign policy matters may be straining the relationship. India is currently negotiating a trade deal with the US, but talks have encountered hurdles as the July 9 deadline approaches for the end of a 90-day pause on most tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Ajay Bisaria, a former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, told DW that India has so far handled Trump with strategic composure. "But when the US President repeatedly and publicly claims an outsized role in mediating the recent India-Pakistan conflict, expect public corrections from India," said Bisaria. "Public opinion in India now tends to see the US as an unreliable partner," Bisaria added. Bisaria also mentioned that while Delhi understands that the India-US relationship is deeper than White House pronouncements, it cannot ignore public diplomacy challenges. "Each time Washington indulges Pakistan's military — like President Trump's recent lunch with its army chief General Asim Munir — it sends the wrong signal." India has accused Pakistan of "supporting terrorism" from across the border after the April 22 attack on civilians in India-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people. The attack was claimed by a group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance, which India says is also known as The Resistance Front and is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist organization. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the attack, an allegation Pakistan denies. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The lunch meeting between Trump and Munir, which took place at the White House last week, was a unique event as it marked the first time a sitting US president officially hosted a Pakistani army chief who was not also serving as the head of state. Many viewed it as a provocative move given the recent tensions. "India's diplomatic message to the US will remain clear — sanction, don't embrace, Pakistan's generals," added Bisaria. However, Meera Shankar, a former Indian envoy to the US, had a different take. She said it was perhaps somewhat clumsy to rebut Trump's claims of having brokered an end to the recent India Pakistan conflict, since India did not seek a full-scale conflict. Shankar added that it is possible that the Trump administration helped to persuade Pakistan to pull back. "The Indian government was facing domestic criticism for allowing foreign intervention and I think the rebuttal was responding to this," she told DW. "The feting of Asim Munir in the US must be seen in the context of the US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. It is likely that the US was seeking some facilities from Pakistan in this context." Shankar added that there is concern that the India-US Strategic Partnership is coming under stress because of missteps from the US administration. "There is a need to show sensitivity to each other's concerns and to strengthen communication," she noted. Despite the tensions, the US cannot afford to isolate India in countering China's rise in the Indo-Pacific region. India will host the 2025 Quad Summit in September where Trump is expected to attend. The group — made up of the US, Japan, Australia and India — focuses on promoting stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in response to China's assertiveness. The last time the Indian and US leaders met was in February after Trump was sworn in for his second presidential term, underscoring the importance both men placed on their relationship. Amitabh Mattoo, dean of the School of International Studies at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, told DW that the recent developments have introduced friction and mistrust into the relationship. "The US has pursued short-term and deal-based diplomacy and this transactional approach has undermined mutual trust and fostered a sense of unpredictability," said Mattoo. "This raises concerns about India's relations with the Trump administration … but the partnership can overcome challenges and shape a better, durable future — and also offer an opportunity for renewal," added Mattoo. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DW
16-05-2025
- Politics
- DW
How will the Indus water treaty freeze affect South Asia? – DW – 05/16/2025
India and Pakistan may have agreed to a ceasefire — but New Delhi says the 64-year-old Indus Waters Treaty remains "in abeyance." What does that mean for water-sharing in the region and beyond? "Water and blood cannot flow together," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address to the nation after New Delhi and Islamabad agreed to a ceasefire on May 10. "If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to destroy its terror infrastructure. There is no other way to peace," he added. Modi's speech did not mention the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), but his message rang clear — the fighting may have come to an end but the 64-year-old water-sharing deal with Pakistan will remain suspended, or as the Indian government puts it: "in abeyance." So far, the water appears to flow as freely as it has for decades, but some reports say India is considering plans to build infrastructure that would allow it to store and divert more water from the Indus river system. The Indus is the longest river in South Asia, spanning over 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) long. It actually includes a complex system of tributaries that flows from Tibet, through divided Kashmir, and into Pakistan, before emptying into the Arabian Sea near Karachi. Unilaterally pausing the agreement to share its waters was one of the first steps India took in response to Islamist militants killing 26 civilians, almost all male Hindu tourists, in India-administered Kashmir on April 22. The attack was claimed by a group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance, which India says is also known as The Resistance Front and is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist organization. New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing the brutal massacre — a claim Islamabad denies. "If there are talks with Pakistan, it will be only on terrorism," Modi emphasized in his televised speech. Meanwhile, the government in Islamabad announced it would consider any withholding of water "an act of war" as the Indus is the most vital source of water for most of Pakistan's farms and hydropower plants. Tensions flare as India scraps water treaty with Pakistan To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Water security in danger? So what's at stake if one side walks away from a deal once hailed as a rare success story between the two arch-rivals — a treaty that withstood wars, terror attacks, and diplomatic freezes, until now? Some experts worry that the entire region's water security could be in danger. India is upstream on the Indus compared to Pakistan — but the river originates in Tibet, under Chinese control. At the same time, India is downstream on the Brahmaputra river, which begins in China as the Yarlung Tsangpo and supplies freshwater to millions in northeastern India — making it vulnerable to decisions made upstream. Others point out that India has only put the treaty "in abeyance" — a legal gray zone which is reversible, and could be seen as a measured diplomatic tool. India's move to use the IWT as geopolitical leverage "undermines the legal integrity of such treaties," said Farhana Sultana, a water, climate and development expert with research experience in South Asia. "These treaty violations and suspensions can have ripple-on deleterious (harmful) effects across and beyond the region for the examples they set," Sultana told DW, adding that "any unilateral suspension of a treaty on transboundary international rivers pose grave threats to regional security." Eroding trust among neighbors Sultana, a professor in the department of geography and environment at the US-based Syracuse University, warned that India's government might also be tempted to prioritize its own water needs over those of its eastern neighbor Bangladesh if the treaty suspension proves to be an effective tool in the case of Pakistan. India shares the Ganges river basin with Bangladesh under the Ganga Water Treaty signed in 1996 and it is set for renewal next year. Diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Dhaka have been strained since former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in 2024 after being ousted from office. Another expert on transboundary water resources and international law, who asked not to be named, agreed with Sultana's assessment. "Transboundary water treaties create trust and predictability for the riparian states, and have typically been separated from other issues. The unilateral suspension raises serious concerns for all states in the region," the expert said. "For India it also raises serious concerns as to the future relations with its other neighbors, particularly Bangladesh and China, as trust will be eroded. China is a strong ally of Pakistan," they added. China has significant investments in Pakistan's hydroelectric infrastructure on the Indus river. It is also investing in the management of the Teesta in Bangladesh — a river which originates in India. The region is crucial for China's Belt and Road Initiative, a massive infrastructure project launched in 2013 by President Xi Jinping to boost China's economic and political influence. Kashmir: 'Our father saved us, the next minute he was gone' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A legal gray zone The IWT's framework — negotiated over nine years and uniquely mediated by the World Bank — includes no provision for withdrawal. At the same time, it establishes a multi-tiered dispute resolution system that allows India and Pakistan to resolve disagreements and amend the treaty, but only with mutual consent. The treaty is strictly bilateral and does not fall under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969) , which sets out rules for how parties can manage and terminate agreements. The IWT also does not address the possibility of "abeyance" — India's chosen phrase. So, while India hasn't officially quit the treaty, it's also not fully operating under its framework — creating a legal gray area. Gabriel Eckstien, water law and policy expert, told DW that the move hurts India's previously maintained "moral high ground." He added that the consequences go even further than that. "International water law is a function of state practice, meaning a bunch of states have done this for so long in a certain way that everybody starts to say that's the law. But now we have certain states veering, it's going to start to weaken what we understood as international water law and start questioning it," Eckstien said. His argument points to the 1997 UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses which requires countries to use shared rivers fairly and avoid causing significant harm. India hasn't signed the convention but generally recognizes its principles and follows them in practice. The Observer Research Foundation, an Indian think tank, points out that India's move is not without precedent. Advocate Nishant Sirohi writes that there are "limited but notable" examples of states suspending treaty obligations in response to extraordinary circumstances. One of them happened as recently as 2023. The US partially suspended the New START Treaty on nuclear arms reduction with Russia in response to non-compliance, a move which could legally be reversed if Russia fulfilled certain requirements. That is "similar to India's current approach on the IWT," he wrote. Kashmir: The Pakistani militant groups India is targeting To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'Smart, subtle politics' Anamika Barua, a water security expert and professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in the eastern city of Guwahati, says wider concerns about a treaty violation are misplaced. "Had India suspended the treaty, it would have sent the wrong signal. But it has specifically used the term 'abeyance,' as if to give some time to Pakistan to look into its conduct, and tell the entire world that if Pakistan meets its requirement maybe we will go back to where we were," she told DW. "It's very smart and subtle politics." This also takes away the point of India having acted unilaterally. "India will say we are not (walking away). We have only told them," she said. In April, India's Water Resources Minister C R Patil announced that India was working on a short, medium and long-term plan to ensure "not even a drop of water from the Indus River goes to Pakistan." While the plans were not clearly outlined, media reports say it involves diversion in the short-medium term and building hydroelectric dams in the long term. Barua is concerned that the move may not achieve its intended goals. "In the short term, stopping the river's flow could be difficult without the necessary infrastructure," she said. "And in the long run, India must avoid building large dams on the Indus system that could harm the river's ecosystem and affect downstream communities." Kashmir residents feel unsafe despite India-Pakistan truce To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Where do we go from here? The experts DW spoke to agree on one thing — that India and Pakistan will have to go back to diplomatic channels to eventually reinstate the treaty. Eckstien, for instance, does not believe there is a legal way forward. The World Bank can only act as a mediator within the framework of the treaty which India has now put aside. Islamabad could register a case at the International Court of Justice but India only recognizes its jurisdiction in very specific, pre-outlined cases. If there's no specific agreement taking India to the international court, "India could just wave it off," he said. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was ready to engage in peace talks with India, which will inadvertently involve the IWT. India has been trying for years to bring Pakistan to the table to renegotiate the treaty, which India's government believes is inconsiderate of India's growing population and water needs. If talks really ensue, they will likely reimagine the distribution of the contentious waters. Old or reworked, a functioning Indus Waters Treaty is critical — especially for India and Pakistan, both of which are bearing the brunt of climate change and mounting pressure on their freshwater resources. Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru
