New Delhi: A host of issues under the Indus Waters Treaty, including Pakistan’s objections to the design of Indian hydropower projects on Chenab river, are likely to be discussed between the Indus Commissioners of the two countries as part of their annual meeting underway here Tuesday.
The talks as part of the annual Permanent Indus Commission meeting are being held after a gap of over two years.
The Indian delegation is being led by PK Saxena who will be joined by his advisors from the Central Water Commission, the Central Electricity Authority and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation.
The Pakistan delegation is led by its Indus Commissioner Syed Muhammad Meher Ali Shah. The delegation arrived here on Monday evening.
Under the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 between the two countries, India has the right to use the waters of all the rivers flowing eastward, averaging around 33 million acre-feet (MAF). These include the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers. At the same time, Pakistan has the right to use most of the westward flowing Indus, Jhelum and Chenab waters, averaging to around 135 MAF.
During the two-day talks that began on Tuesday, Pakistan is likely to raise objections on the design of the Indian hydropower projects on Chenab river whose water is largely assigned to Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty.
Ahead of the meeting, Saxena said, “India is committed towards full utilisation of its rights under the Treaty and believes in an amicable solution of issues through discussion.”
This year’s meeting will be the first between the two commissioners after the August 2019 nullification of the operative provisions of Article 370 that gave special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Last year’s meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi in March was cancelled, a first since the Treaty came into being, in view of the coronavirus pandemic.