Latest news with #WorldBank-brokered
Deccan Herald
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
IWT with Pakistan suspended, India plans to transfer surplus water from J&K to other states
Two and a half months after suspending the India-Pakistan Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in the wake of the April 22 terrorist attack near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, New Delhi has quietly set in motion an ambitious plan — one that could change water resource management in the Union Territory and other northern states, reignite interstate tensions, and escalate geopolitical tension with Islamabad.A 113-kilometre-long canal is at the centre of the plan for the inter-basin transfer of water – a project that aims to divert surplus flows from J&K to Punjab, Haryana and even parched Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, working on what officials describe as a 'war footing', has reportedly initiated pre-construction assessments, including a detailed feasibility study. This includes exploring the engineering, ecological, and legal viability of carving a canal through the geologically fragile Himalayan suspended, path now cleared for inter-basin water transfer in India.'Water will not go anywhere': Jal Shakti minister says India is not afraid of Pak's empty proposed canal aims to divert water from the Chenab river to the Ravi-Beas-Sutlej system and is expected to be completed within three years. There is also a proposal to eventually link the canal to the Yamuna, which would extend its total length to nearly 200 kilometres, sources told viewsBut even before a shovel has hit the ground, the project has triggered concerns among scientists and environmentalists and triggered a war of words among politicians.'This is not just a canal – it's a political project dressed up as infrastructure,' says Prof. G M Bhat, renowned geologist and former Head of the Department of Geology at the University of Jammu. 'They may talk about diverting water, but the real challenge is storage – and in this region, that's an engineering nightmare. It's more about optics than outcomes,' he told project came to the public domain a few weeks after India suspended its 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan – a World Bank-brokered agreement seen as one of the world's most resilient water-sharing frameworks. While New Delhi cites export of terror from Islamabad to justify its action, critics say unilateral moves on water risk upending fragile regional stability.'You can't revoke the IWT in isolation. It opens a Pandora's box,' said Bhat. 'If we do it with Pakistan, what stops China from blocking the Brahmaputra? Water diplomacy isn't one-way.'Ajaz Rasool, a noted hydraulic engineer and environmental consultant, said that the project for inter-basin transfer of water undermined both J&K's ecological fabric and its constitutional safeguards. 'Inter-basin transfers aren't just about pipes and pumps. They dry wetlands, alter aquifers, and devastate downstream ecosystems. J&K's waters support glaciers, springs, and fragile seasonal flows. Declaring it surplus without a full hydrological audit is ecological malpractice,' he Bhutto says Pakistan will go to war if India denies water under Indus falloutThe proposal stirred political waters across state lines. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has bluntly stated that the Union Territory's waters 'would not be allowed to be siphoned off' to Punjab or in Punjab reacted angrily. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring accused Abdullah of 'doing politics over patriotism,' suggesting that opposing the canal was akin to 'equating Punjab with Pakistan.' Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that the transfer of water from Chenab could resolve the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal dispute between his state and red linePakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has declared water a 'red line' and vowed to defend the Indus as a 'basic right of 240 million people'. The canal proposal is already being portrayed in Pakistani media as evidence of India's intent to 'weaponise water'.However, New Delhi's move, backed by strong political will, signals India's strategic shift to reclaim control over its resources in response to cross-border terror. While noise around the issue brews, New Delhi's message is clear: no treaty can survive if it benefits those who sponsor urge cautionProf. Shakil Romshoo, Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of Science and Technology and a leading glaciologist, said that the canal's impact would be slow but deep. 'In the short term, water flows may not be disrupted. But if India starts regulating flows over the next decade, the effects on Pakistan could be severe, especially as climate variability increases.'He added that while renegotiating the IWT to include China and Afghanistan might be unrealistic, strengthening it to factor in climate change, groundwater depletion, and pollution would be a far more practical watersWith both nationalist and environmental narratives hardening, the fate of the 113-km canal and the water politics it symbolises hang in the J&K, which is reeling under conflict and ecological stress, the question isn't just about water transfer but also about territorial rights, environmental justice, and political agency.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pak urges India to honour IWT after Court of Arbitration ruling
Islamabad: Pakistan on Monday called on New Delhi to fully honour its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following a Court of Arbitration supplemental ruling that reaffirmed its jurisdiction to hear Islamabad's objections over India's Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects. The ruling, announced on June 27, upheld the Court's competence in the dispute and reiterated its responsibility to conduct proceedings in a "timely, efficient, and fair manner". The decision comes after India announced following the terror attack in Pahalgam that it would place the IWT "in abeyance" — a move Pakistan has strongly opposed as a violation of the agreement. A statement issued by Pakistan's foreign office welcomed the ruling, describing it as a "vindication" of the country's position. "The supplemental award confirms that the Indus Waters Treaty remains valid and operational," it said, adding that India had "no right to suspend or alter its obligations unilaterally". Islamabad has urged New Delhi to immediately resume cooperation under the treaty framework and fulfil its obligations "wholly and faithfully". New Delhi has consistently argued the dispute should be settled through a neutral expert, as provided under the World Bank-brokered treaty, and questioned the jurisdiction of the Court of Arbitration. India has refused to participate in the current arbitration process, maintaining that it was not binding. The case centres on Pakistan's objections to design and flow management of India's Kishanganga and Ratle hydropower projects, which Islamabad claims violate the technical parameters of the treaty. Pakistan initiated arbitration in 2016, seeking international adjudication after bilateral efforts failed. The IWT, signed in 1960, is widely regarded as a rare example of sustained India-Pakistan cooperation, even surviving several wars. However, the decades-old agreement has come under increasing strain in recent years amid competing infrastructure projects, rising water scarcity, and growing climate challenges in the region. While the Court's latest decision does not resolve the core dispute, legal experts here say it strengthens the case for continued third-party oversight and signals that unilateral treaty suspensions are unlikely to stand up in international forums.
The Print
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Jal Shakti Minister Paatil reaffirms position on IWT, revival of Tulbul project
The Modi government put the IWT in abeyance as part of a diplomatic response to the 22 April terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir's Pahalgam which left 26 dead. The government had said the treaty will be in abeyance until Pakistan gives credible proof that it is renouncing support for cross-border terrorism. 'The decision that the Indian government has taken, our prime minister has taken to put the IWT in abeyance continues… It is in the interest of the country. Any action that is taken will be in the interest of everyone and for the benefit of the country,' Paatil told a press conference here. New Delhi: There is no change in India's position of keeping the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance and any further decision taken on it will be in India's interest, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil said Thursday. He also asserted the Tulbul navigation project on Kashmir's Wular Lake will be revived. The World Bank-brokered 1960 treaty between India and Pakistan allows India unrestricted rights over waters of the three eastern rivers on the Indus basin—Ravi, Beas and Sutlej—which account for approximately 20 percent of the water carried by the Indus system. Pakistan is allowed unrestricted use of waters of the three western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab—which is roughly 80 percent of the water carried by the Indus system. Asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement in an interview to Times of India that IWT will not be restored, Paatil said, 'Amit Shahji bade neta hain, nirnayak bhi hain…unhone jo kaha hai, theek hi hoga (Amit Shahji is a big leader, he is decisive also…whatever he has said should be correct)'. On Pakistan writing to India to renegotiate the IWT, Paatil said, 'Pakistan writing to us is not new… these things go on. But no action has been taken on it so far.' Responding to former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto's statement Islamabad would not hesitate to respond if its water rights were violated, Paatil said, 'Bilawal Bhutto has said many things, but we are not afraid of his comments. Hum gidar bhabhkiyon se nahin darte (We are not scared by blusters).' Also Read: With Indus Waters Treaty on hold, India working to revive Tulbul project on Kashmir's Wular Lake 'Tulbul project will be revived' The government is also expediting work on four proposed hydro projects on the western rivers. But Paatil declined to give further details of the projects, saying it's too early for that. Government sources said the four projects include the 1,856-MW Sawalkot hydroelectric project (Chenab), the 930-MW Kirthai-II hydroelectric power project (Chenab), the 260-MW Dulhasti Stage-II (Chenab) and the 240-MW Uri-I Stage-II (Jhelum). All of these are in Jammu & Kashmir, and long-term projects. In the short-term, India has started regular flushing (a sediment removal method) of its existing reservoirs on the western rivers to remove silt and sediment that have deposited in them. The IWT allows flushing of reservoirs in August during monsoon. In the absence of regular flushing, silt and sediments get deposited in the reservoirs over a period of time and render them ineffective in the long run. Paatil, however, confirmed that the government has decided to revive the Tulbul navigation project. 'We will study the Detailed Project Report for Tulbul before deciding,' the minister said. The project, which envisages constructing a 439-ft long and 40-ft wide barrage with a storage capacity of 0.30 million acre feet below the Wular Lake near Ningli to stabilise Jhelum's water level, was abandoned midway in 1987 after strong objections from Pakistan. Civil works, including concrete piling and foundation works on the left bank were already completed by then. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: What's the Tulbul project Omar, Mehbooba are sparring over & why has it been in limbo for decades
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Govt panel looks to approve key Indus project in Ramban
A key government committee that decides whether projects can proceed on protected forest land is considering approving a hydroelectricity project in Jammu and Kashmir that is one of six strategic hydropower developments aimed at optimising India's use of Indus waters while the treaty with Pakistan remains suspended. All gates of Salal Dam on the Chenab River were closed following suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. (PTI) The 1,856MW Sawalkot project in Ramban, which received environmental clearance in 2018, has been awaiting forest approval for over six years. According to documents on the Union environment ministry's Parivesh website, the project was considered for forest clearance on Tuesday. Their decision on the project is expected to be published soon in the minutes of the meeting. India suspended the World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan a day after terrorists killed 26 people in Pahalgam on April 22. The move has accelerated New Delhi's push to develop hydropower infrastructure on rivers allocated to Pakistan under the 1960 agreement. While government officials and political leaders have declared that no water from India's share will be allowed to flow into Pakistan, India does not currently possess any major infrastructure – such as dams or barrages – to exert significantly more control than it does at present. India has lined up plans for a slew of projects in the J&K region to potentially tap into more of the rivers for its electricity needs. The Sawalkot project has already received clearance from the Geology and Mining department. The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) project will involve diversion of 847.17 hectares of forest land and 554.18 hectares of non-forest land across Mahore, Ramban, Batote and Udhampur divisions. The run-of-the-river scheme, estimated to cost over ₹ 20,000 crores, will harness the Chenab river's flow for electrical power generation. Originally allotted in 1999 to the Sawalkot Consortium by the Jammu and Kashmir government, the project remained dormant for over two decades with minimal progress. The Chenab river currently hosts three operational hydro projects: the 390 MW Dulhasti power station at Kishtwar, 890 MW Baghliar project in Ramban, and 690 MW Salai hydro project in Reasi. The clearance process has highlighted security sensitivities surrounding Indus basin projects. When the ministry of environment, forest and climate change sought carrying capacity and cumulative impact studies in January, NHPC responded on May 14 that such data cannot be published due to security reasons, given that the Chenab and Jhelum rivers fall under the Indus Water Treaty framework. This week's FAC deliberations follows a high-level meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah on April 25, after which authorities in the Jal Shakti ministry and NHPC began working to expedite all hydropower projects under construction. As HT reported on May 5, India plans to create nearly 12 gigawatts of additional hydropower from new projects on Indus rivers, for which feasibility studies have been ordered. The projects include Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Ratle (850 MW), Bursar (800 MW), Kiru (624 MW), and Kirthai 1 and 2 (1,320 MW), all designed to be fully synchronisable with the national grid. India has been calling for renegotiation of the water-sharing pact due to diminishing flow rates in rivers running through Kashmir, attributed to natural changes in the basin. Recent scientific research has shown that climate change is affecting the Indus basin's eastern and western tributaries differently, with eastern rivers expected to peak by 2030 while western rivers may not peak until 2070, potentially making previous agreements based on natural equivalences at the time irrelevant. 'The treaty in its preamble says that it is concluded in the spirit of goodwill and friendship. The obligation to honour the treaty in good faith is fundamental to it,' said Kirti Vardhan Singh, minister of state for environment, forest and climate change, at last month's High-Level International Conference on Glaciers' Preservation. 'However, the unrelenting cross-border terrorism from Pakistan interferes with our ability to exploit the treaty as per its provisions. Pakistan, which itself is in violation of the treaty, should desist from putting the blame of the breach on India.'
Business Recorder
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Pakistan condemns India's rejection of Indus Waters Treaty, warns of dangerous precedent
Pakistan's Foreign Office issued a strongly worded statement today condemning Indian Home Minister Amit Shah's declaration that New Delhi would 'never restore' the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), calling it a blatant violation of international law and a threat to regional stability. The rebuke comes amid escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors over water-sharing rights, a long-standing flashpoint in their fraught relationship. India says it will never restore Indus water treaty with Pakistan In its official response, the Foreign Office spokesperson emphasized the treaty's legal sanctity, stating, 'The Indus Waters Treaty is not a political arrangement, but an international treaty with no provision for unilateral action.' The statement accused India of 'brazen disregard' for its obligations under the 1960 World Bank-brokered agreement, which governs the sharing of the Indus River system's waters between the two countries. 'India's illegal announcement to hold the Treaty in abeyance constitutes a clear violation of international law, the provisions of the Treaty itself, and the fundamental principles governing inter-state relations,' the spokesperson asserted. The statement further warned that such conduct 'sets a reckless and dangerous precedent' and undermines global trust in treaty-based diplomacy. The Foreign Office also condemned what it termed the 'weaponization of water for political ends,' a pointed reference to Shah's remarks, which were made ahead of elections in India's Bihar state, where water-sharing disputes have long been a contentious issue. 'This irresponsible behavior contradicts established norms of responsible state behavior,' the spokesperson added, demanding that India 'immediately rescind its unilateral and unlawful stance.' Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to the treaty and vowed to 'take all necessary measures' to safeguard its water rights, hinting at potential diplomatic or legal recourse. The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, has survived multiple wars and crises but has faced mounting strain in recent years.
