India-Pakistan 118th bilateral meeting on Indus Water Treaty

Tags: International Relations

A five-member delegation from Pakistan reached India via the Wagah border to attend the 118th bilateral meeting on the Indus Waters Treaty, in New Delhi on May 30.

• India is building 10 hydroelectric plant projects to reduce excess water in Pakistan.

• Both the countries will discuss the issue of advance flood information and the annual report of the Permanent Commission for Indus Waters (PCIW).

• The 1,000 MW Pakal Dul, 48 MW lower Kalnai and 624 MW Kiru hydroelectric projects on west-flowing rivers being built by India under the Indus Water Treaty will also be discussed during the meeting.

• What is the Indus Water Treaty?

• It is a water-sharing treaty between India and Pakistan.

• It was signed by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani President Ayub Khan in 1960.

• As per the treaty all the waters of three rivers- Ravi,Sutlej and Beas ( Eastern Rivers) were allocated to India for exclusive use.

• Whereas, the waters of the western rivers – Indus, Jhelum and Chenab – were allocated to Pakistan except for specified domestic, non-consumable and agricultural uses allowed for India.

• India has been given the right to generate hydroelectricity through Run of the River (ROR) projects on the western rivers.

• About Indus River System

• The Indus River System is one of the largest river basins in the world.

• It includes five rivers namely Indus River, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.

• The basin is mainly shared by India and Pakistan, with China and Afghanistan sharing a small portion of it.

• Indus River

• It flows in a north-west direction from its source (Glaciers of Kailash Range – in Tibet near Lake Manasarovar) till the Nanga Parbat Range.

• length - about 2,900 km.

• Jhelum River

• Originates -  in spring at Verinag in the south-eastern part of the Kashmir Valley.

• Chenab River

• Originates - from near the BaraLacha Pass in the Lahaul-Spiti part of the Zaskar Range

• Ravi River

• Origin - in Kullu hills near the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh.

• Beas River

• Originates - near Rohtang Pass, at a height of 4,062 m above sea level, on the southern end of the Pir Panjal Range

• Satluj River

• Originates - from the Manasarovar-Rakas Lakes in western Tibet.