WASHINGTON – The World Bank (WB) on Wednesday dismissed India’s repeated threats to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, reaffirming that the agreement cannot be unilaterally altered or terminated.
In a statement issued by the World Bank President, it was clarified that there is no provision in the treaty that permits its suspension. “The Indus Waters Treaty cannot be suspended; there is no clause in the agreement that allows for such action,” the President stated.
He emphasized that the World Bank’s role in the treaty is strictly that of a facilitator, not a mediator or arbitrator, and any assumptions about the Bank resolving the dispute are unfounded. “These suggestions about how the World Bank will solve the issue are meaningless,” he added.
The President further noted that the treaty remains binding and can only be modified or terminated with the mutual consent of both India and Pakistan. “Any change to or termination of the treaty must be agreed upon by both countries. The conditions for such actions are clearly outlined in the treaty itself,” he said.
The World Bank’s clarification comes in the wake of India’s recent actions concerning the treaty.
In July 2023, India issued a notice to Pakistan seeking a modification of the 63-year-old agreement, claiming that the treaty’s dispute resolution mechanism had been “inappropriately invoked.”
India alleged that Pakistan’s simultaneous pursuit of both neutral expert proceedings and a court of arbitration over water projects violated the treaty provisions.
Pakistan, however, rejected the notice, calling India’s move an attempt to unilaterally alter a legally binding international agreement.
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 with the World Bank as a signatory and facilitator, governed the distribution of the Indus River system between the two countries and has long been regarded as a model for transboundary water cooperation, even during times of military and political tension.
Despite the recent hostilities, the World Bank reiterated that the treaty remains a critical legal instrument for regional stability and water resource management and that its provisions must be respected by both parties.
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