Why in News?

India served a formal notice on August 30, 2024, to review and modify the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) under Article XII (3).
The move comes in response to India’s growing domestic water needs and the demand for sustainable water management.

History of the Indus Waters Treaty:

Signed: September 19, 1960, between India and Pakistan.
Brokered by: The World Bank.
Purpose: Aimed at cooperative management of the Indus River and its tributaries (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Jhelum, Chenab).
Key Framework:
- Water Allocation:
  - Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) allocated to Pakistan with some limited uses permitted for India.
  - Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) allocated to India.
  - 80% of the total water flow goes to Pakistan, while 20% is for India.
- Permanent Indus Commission: Formed to ensure communication and resolve disputes between both nations.

The Dispute Resolution Mechanism of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is a three-step process designed to resolve conflicts over water sharing between India and Pakistan.
- Bilateral Negotiations: The first step involves direct negotiations between the two countries to resolve the issue through diplomatic talks, facilitated by the Permanent Indus Commission
- Conciliation: If negotiations fail, a neutral third-party conciliator is appointed to mediate and help both parties reach a mutually acceptable solution.
- Arbitration: If conciliation does not succeed, the dispute escalates to arbitration, where a neutral panel makes a binding decision. The World Bank often plays a role in facilitating these steps.

Modifications Sought:
- India wants the treaty revised to reflect changing population demographics, agricultural needs, and the need for sustainable water management.
- Hydropower Development: India is accelerating hydropower projects like Kishanganga, Ratle, and Pakal Dul on western rivers (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum) despite disputes.
Environmental Concerns:
- The 2013 Kishanganga arbitration allowed India’s hydropower projects but imposed a minimum water flow condition.
- Both nations must ensure transboundary environmental impact assessments (EIA) as per customary international law.
Climate Change Impact:
- The effects of glacial depletion threaten water flows, further stressing the need for an updated water-sharing mechanism.
Opportunities for Cooperation:
- Article VII.1c of the treaty allows for joint engineering projects along the river, offering a chance for collaboration amidst climate challenges.

Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Project Located on the Marusudar River (Chenab tributary).
Lower Kalnai Another hydroelectric project on the Chenab.
Ratle Hydroelectric Project located on Chenab
Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project on Kishanganga(Neelum) River.

While renegotiating the Indus Waters Treaty may be difficult due to historic distrust, using the treaty’s existing formal processes to develop cooperative mechanisms could help address future challenges.
Joint projects and sustainable water management strategies will be crucial as climate change continues to impact river flows, and both nations face growing domestic pressures.

Source:
- The Indus (In Tibetan called Sengge Chu/‘Lion River’), a major river in South Asia, originates in Tibet near Mansarovar Lake in the Trans-Himalaya.
- The river flows through Tibet, India and Pakistan and about 200 million people live in the area of its drainage basin.
Course and Major Tributaries:
- It enters India through Ladakh and flows through Jammu and Kashmir before reaching Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region.
- The major left-bank tributaries of the Indus River are the Zaskar, Suru, Soan, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Satluj, and Panjnad rivers.
- The major right-bank tributaries are Shyok, Gilgit, Hunza, Swat, Kunnar, Kurram, Gomal, and Kabul rivers.
- The Indus River empties into the Arabian Sea near the city of Karachi in southern Pakistan.

River	Source	Joins
Jhelum	Spring at Verinag, Kashmir Valley	Chenab at Trimmu, Pakistan
Chenab	Chandra and Bhaga streams near Bara Lacha Pass	Satluj after receiving Jhelum and Ravi
Ravi	Kullu hills near Rohtang Pass	Chenab near Rangpur, Pakistan
Beas	Near Rohtang Pass	Satluj at Harike Barrage, India
Satluj	Manasarovar-Rakas Lakes, Tibet	Indus a few kilometres above Mithankot, Pakistan