India and Pakistan have held talks under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) over the mechanism to resolve their dispute over New Delhi’s upcoming hydroelectric power plants on Kishenganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts).
The dispute is over the designs of these projects as Pakistan claims they are in contravention of the Treaty. The projects are on the tributaries of rivers Jhelum and Chenab that as per IWT are designated as the “Western Rivers” of which Pakistan has unrestricted use.
The talks to find a common way to find a solution were held in Washington on July 31 and August 1. Union Water Resource Ministry Secretary along with officers from Ministry of External Affairs represented India in the Secretary-level discussions between India and Pakistan on the technical issues over the IWT.
The World Bank in a brief statement said it "took place in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation and the parties have agreed to continue discussions and reconvene in September in Washington, DC". No details of the discussions in the meeting were given. The two countries last held talks over the two projects in March this year during the meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) in Pakistan.
Pakistan had approached the World Bank last year, raising concerns over the designs of the two hydroelectricity projects located in Jammu & Kashmir. It had demanded that the World Bank, which is the mediator between the two countries under the 57-year-old water distribution pact, set up a court of arbitration to look into its concerns.
On the other hand, India had asked for the appointment of a neutral expert to look into the issues, contending the concerns Pakistan raised
were "technical" ones. Following this, World Bank had in November 2016 initiated two simultaneous processes — for appointing neutral expert and establishment of court of arbitration to look into technical differences between the two countries in connection with the projects.
The simultaneous processes, however, were halted after India objected to it. After that, representatives of the World Bank held talks with India and Pakistan to find a way out separately.
The World Bank is helping India and Pak resolve the disagreement on the construction of these hydroelectric power plants being built by India.
Under the IWT of 1960, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities subject to constraints specified in Annexures to the Treaty, it does not need any approval from either World Bank or Pakistan.
However, the two countries disagree over the fact whether the technical design features of the two hydroelectric plants contravene the Treaty.
In a letter dated July 25, the World Bank assured Indian Ambassador to the United States Navtej Sarna its "continued neutrality and impartiality in helping the parties to find and amicable way forward".