- IWT is a legally binding int’l agreement, and both parties obligated to uphold its provisions: FO
ISLAMABAD: World Bank President Ajay Banga has said that there is no provision in the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) for suspension, in an interview with Indian broadcaster CNBC-TV18.
Speaking in New Delhi, he said, “There is no provision in the treaty to allow to be suspended, the way it (IWT) was drawn up, it either needs to be gone or it needs to be replaced by another one. That requires the two countries to want to agree.
“The treaty is not suspended, it’s technically called something in abeyance, is how the Indian government worded it.”
“The Indus Water Treaty cannot be suspended without Pakistan’s consent,” World Bank’s President Ajay Banga.
Indian humiliation continues. pic.twitter.com/l9hmlftMsX
— MD Umair Khan (@MDUmairKh) May 14, 2025
Article XII of the IWT makes it clear that it can only be modified by mutual agreement
Elaborating on the World Bank’s role, Banga explained, “The World Bank’s role is basically that of a facilitator if they disagree — not by us making a decision — but by us being the party that goes through a process to find a neutral expert or an arbitrator court to settle it.”
He further elaborated that the World Bank also has to pay for the process from a trust fund established during the treaty’s inception to cover the fees of potential arbitrators.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has formally responded to India’s recent communication regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, affirming that the agreement remains fully operational and binding on both parties, according to the Foreign Office.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated that Pakistan has made it clear that any violation of the treaty will be deemed unacceptable.
“The Indus Waters Treaty is a legally binding international agreement, and both parties are obligated to uphold its provisions,” he said.
FO spokesperson said Pakistan reiterated that it would continue to defend its rights under the agreement at all international forums.
Following the attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and shut down the Attari-Wagah border crossing — a key point for trade and civilian movement between the two nations — with immediate effect.
What is the Indus Waters Treaty?
The origins of the IWT can be traced back to the Partition of British India in August 1947, when India and Pakistan became two independent nations. Both countries, now home to over 1.6 billion people, have historically relied heavily on the rivers flowing from the Himalayas for irrigation and agriculture.
The division of the Punjab province, which was extensively developed under British rule with an integrated irrigation system, created an immediate need for an agreement on the equitable sharing of the river waters between India and Pakistan.
