Water treaty withstands wars

Water is in short supply in many areas

By Jyotsna Singh BBC reporter in Delhi

Indian and Pakistani officials have met for a second day running to review a bilateral water agreement which has lasted more than 40 years.

We were not discussing the treaty - it is not for us to take such decisions at this level

M Mammen,
Pakistan delegation

There is a sense of relief on both sides that the annual talks have taken place as scheduled - despite escalating tension on the border.

Tight-lipped bureaucrats have been giving little away, however, about what it is like to sit across the table from one another with the two countries on the brink of war.

The Pakistani delegation arrived in the Indian capital well in advance of Wednesday's meeting.

The accord has survived two conflicts

But cutting off travel links between the two countries meant the Pakistani team had to take a longer route to Delhi.

"We have flown in via Dubai," delegation leader Commissioner M Mammen told the BBC.

"No comment," he replied, when asked if military tension between the two nations had been reflected in the meetings in any way.

No smiles

But if their body language was any indication, the two teams were trying their best to appear grim in public.

They came out separately from the talks and headed straight to their cars.

India cannot cut off water supply to Pakistan immediately

Ramaswamy Aiyer,
India's ex-water secretary

Mr Mammen politely sidestepped any questions relating to the treaty, or to the meeting with his Indian counterpart, AC Gupta.

"I categorically state that we were not discussing the treaty," Mr Mammen told reporters. "It is not for us to take such decisions at this level."

"We have discussed certain other routine issues which we deliberate upon every year.

"Today we discussed the Bagliyar hydroelectricity plan."

The meeting is expected to continue on Friday.

'Scrap the treaty!'

In an atmosphere charged with war-mongering, analysts believe the annual meeting of the Indus water commission provides a glimmer of hope for peace and better sense.

The body routinely reviews water-sharing arrangements between the nuclear neighbours.

Mammen: Flew in the long way

Some in India have been demanding the government abrogate the Indus water treaty in order to send a strong message to Pakistan at a time of heightened tension.

But the government has not yielded to such pressure.

It wants to show the world that it is behaving responsibly, says an official.

In any case, scrapping the treaty would serve no purpose, India's Former Water Resources Secretary Ramaswamy Aiyer told the BBC.

"India cannot cut off water supply to Pakistan immediately. Water supply can [only] be stopped by building dams and reservoirs on the Indian side.

"Such projects would take years to be completed. Besides, the international opinion would go against India, too."

Success story

The Indus water treaty, signed in 1960 under the auspices of the World Bank, is cited as a shining example of success in conflict resolution.

Gupta (left): Grim in public

It survived the Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971.

The treaty simplified the division of water resources between the two states, allocating the three eastern rivers of Sutlej, Beas and Ravi to India, and Indus, Chenab and Jhelum to Pakistan.

The agreement allows India, the upper riparian state, to use the flowing water, but any construction aimed at facilitating storage or diversion of the river by India is prohibited.

Despite a few problems over contentious projects, such as the Salal hydroelectric project, the treaty has worked well.