The Parliamentary standing committee on water resources has recommended renegotiating the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan to address the impact of climate change on water availability in the river basin and other challenges which are not covered under the agreement. It also recommended that India should constantly monitor the Chinese actions so as to ensure that they do not pursue any major interventions on the Brahmaputra River which could adversely affect India's national interests.
The panel observed that there is no water treaty between New Delhi and Beijing but a Memoranda of Understanding on Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers have been signed by the two nations, which will be in force for five years and are renewed regularly.
The report tabled in the parliament said that under the Indus Waters Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, all the waters of the eastern rivers -- Sutlej, Beas and Ravi -- are allocated to India for unrestricted use. The waters of western rivers -- Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab -- have been assigned largely to Pakistan.
According to the treaty, India has been given the right to generate hydroelectricity through run-of-the-river projects on the western rivers subject to specific criteria for design and operation. The treaty also gives the right to Pakistan to raise objections to designs of Indian hydroelectric projects on the western rivers.
The committee recommended that the government should examine the feasibility of making the maximum use of the provisions of the Indus Water Treaty in terms of full utilisation of all accessible water of the eastern rivers and the maximum utilisation of the irrigation and hydropower potential of western rivers including permissible water storage
The panel observed that although the Indus Water Treaty has stood the test of time, it is of view that the treaty was framed on the basis of knowledge and technology existing at the time of its agreement in the 1960s.