In the ongoing Indus water dispute, India recently participated in a two-day meeting held in Vienna, Austria to discuss Indus Waters Treaty. The meeting, convened by a neutral expert, aimed to address the long-standing disagreement between India and Pakistan regarding the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects situated in the region of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Indian delegation, led by the secretary of the Department of Water Resources, attended this significant gathering at the permanent court of arbitration in Vienna on September 20 and 21. India was represented by the eminent Senior Advocate Harish Salve KC, who played the pivotal role of lead counsel during the proceedings. Pakistan also had its representatives present at the meeting.
India’s take on Indus Waters Treaty:
The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement clarifying India’s stance in the matter. According to the statement, India’s participation in the meeting aligns with its unwavering position, emphasizing the importance of the neutral expert proceedings as the valid and endorsed means of addressing the dispute, as per the graded mechanism outlined in the Indus Waters Treaty.
India reiterated its decision to abstain from engaging in parallel proceedings conducted by an irregularly constituted Court of Arbitration that also deals with the issues pertaining to the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects. India asserts that this parallel process contradicts the prescribed three-step graded mechanism, which is an integral part of the Indus Waters Treaty, designed to resolve such disputes.
With Senior Advocate Harish Salve leading the way, India has maintained its commitment to resolving the Indus water dispute through the neutral expert proceedings, emphasizing the significance of adhering to the treaty’s established mechanisms.
In summary, India’s participation in the Vienna meeting underscores its steadfast adherence to the principles of the Indus Waters Treaty, emphasizing the need for the neutral expert proceedings to address the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects dispute, while simultaneously refraining from participating in parallel arbitration processes that deviate from the treaty’s prescribed framework.