TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ India today said World Bank’s decision to temporarily halt two simultaneous processes to look into Indo-Pak dispute over Kishenganga and Ratle project confirms that pursuing the two concurrent processes could have rendered the Indus Water Treaty unworkable over time.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India remains fully conscious of its international obligations and is ready to engage in further consultations on the matter of resolving current differences regarding these two projects.
“The government had pointed out on 10 November, 2016 the legal untenability of the World Bank launching two simultaneous processes– for appointment of a Neutral Expert as requested by India and establishment of a Court of Arbitration requested by Pakistan– to adjudicate technical differences between India and a Pakistan on Kishenganga and Ralte projects.
“By temporarily halting both the processes now, the Bank has confirmed that pursuing the two concurrent processes can render the Treaty unworkable over time,” Swarup said. The World Bank’s move to pause the process came nearly a month after India had strongly objected to the global body’s “inexplicable” decision, saying going ahead with two separate mechanisms was “legally untenable”.
