India- Pakistan Relations

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  • The history of Indo-Pak Relations has been mainly a story of conflict and discord, mutual distrust and suspicion. Some of the major irritants in the relations of the two nations are:
  • Territorial Disputes
    • Pakistan is locked in multiple territorial disputes with India such as the Kashmir dispute, Sir creek dispute etc.
  • Water disputes
    • The two countries disagree over use of the water flowing down rivers that rise in Indian Kashmir and run into the Indus river basin in Pakistan. Pakistan says India is unfairly diverting water with the upstream construction of barrages and dams. India denies these charge.
Terrorism: emanating from Pakistan and territory under its control has severely limited and disrupted initiatives to build a stable relationship.

Presence of Junagarh region of Gujarat in Pakistan released map in 2020 is recent issue.
Current Issues
  • Cross border terrorism (Action against Masood Azhar and HafeeZ Saeed, Dawood Ibrahim).
  • China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
  • Gilgit Baltistan integration with Pakistan.
  • Sir Creek (Pakistan has deployed an additional battalion of Marines and established two new posts in the disputed and strategically important area of Sir Creek).
  • Indus Water Treaty (Blood and water).
  • Uri, Pathankot, Pulwama Attacks.
  • Surgical Strikes.
  • Tactical Nuclear Weapons – No first use policy Revamp?
  • Ceasefire in 2021.
  • Rise of Taliban.
Indus Water Treaty
About the Indus Water Treaty
  • The distribution of waters of the Indus and its tributaries between India and Pakistan is governed by the Indus Water Treaty (IWT)
  • The treaty brokered by World Bank, was signed by the then-Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani President Ayub Khan on 19 September 1960.
  • The Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) was set up as a bilateral commission to implement and manage the Treaty. The Commission also solves questions arising over water sharing. It had last met in Islamabad in March 2017.
Issues in Treaty
  • For 56 years, both India and Pakistan are peacefully sharing the water of Indus and its tributaries, thanks to The Indus Water Treaty (IWT).
  • Because of the confrontations between India and Pakistan over other issues, the water treaty naturally comes into picture.
  • After the Uri cross-border attack by Pakistan in 2016, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said “Blood and Water cannot flow simultaneously.”
  • The decision to review the suspension of Wular Barrage project signalled the Modi government’s intent to revive it irrespective of Pakistan’s protests.
  • In response to Pulwama terror attack, the Centre has decided to stop India’s share of water that used to flow to Pakistan. The government would divert water from eastern rivers to Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The government’s decision will not impact Pakistan’s share of water under the Indus Water Treaty between the two nations.
Other Issues
  • Complicated provisions: Treaty has been criticised being highly technical which leads to far ranging interpretations and divergence.
  • New challenges: There is a need to revisit the treaty in the face of emerging challenges, such as climate changes and pollution which were not initially factored into the terms of the treaty.
  • Lack of Rules for regulation of sharing the Aquifers and data sharing.
  • Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) Project by Pakistan. (Pakistan polluted industry, improper drain in Ranna of Kutch, cause pollution in Tributary enter into Gujarat)
  • Way forward
    • India has never used our rights on the western rivers.
    • Under the Indus Water Treaty, we can make use of the waters of the western rivers for irrigation, storage, and even for producing electricity, in the manner specified. If we just do what we are entitled to under the Treaty, it would be enough to send jitters through Pakistan. It would be a strong signal without doing anything drastic.
The Curious Case of Kulbushan Jadhav
  • The case of Kulbushan Jadhav, a retired Naval officer arrested nears the Iran-Pakistan border in Baluchistan region by the Pakistani establishment.
  • He has been accused by Pakistan of espionage and spying and has been sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan.
  • India, on many previous occasions, demanded consular access of Jadhav, a demand consistently rejected by Pakistan citing national security issues.
  • India says that Jadhav was a retired Naval officer who was a businessman working in Iran and has been falsely framed by the Pakistani establishment.
  • As there were repeated denials of the Consular Access, India approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at Hague where it put forward the argument that Vienna Convention was being violated as the Consular Access was denied.
  • The ICJ has asked Pakistan to stay the execution of Jadhav and the matter is sub judice.
Way Forward
  • Use of Soft Power.
  • Sports (IPL, Kabaaddi), Bollywood, Water grid, Kartarpur Corridor.
  • Creating International pressure over Pakistan by diplomatic Isolation to take stern action on terrorists.
  • Building Economic ties (Punjab Free Trade Area).
  • India can deepen its economic ties with Pakistan by reducing the import tariffs which is presently 200% and by invoking its Most Favoured Nation status at time when Pakistan’s economy is in its worst phase.
  • ASEAN region can be used as the example where many territorial disputes have been resolved by increasing the economic interdependence between the nations.
  • TAPI, IPI pipeline.
  • Dialogues should be resumed (Suspension of Dialogues will not solve disputes).
  • India and Pakistan recently held a Track -II Dialogue in Islamabad. More such talks should be conducted.

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