Table Of ContentINDUS WATERS TREATY
INDUS WATERS TREATY
An Exercise in International Mediation
Niranjan D. Gulhati
President Honoraire, International Commission
on Irrigation and Drainage
Foreword by
Late Sir William Iliff
former Vice-President of the World Bank
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To
Shakuntala
and our children
whose life styles were deeply influenced
by my involvement with the Indus
i
•-ft
CONTENTS
Foreword xui
Preface xvii
Introduction 1
CHAPTER I In broad perspective 6
CHAPTER II The Indus basin and rivers
General 18
Physical features 21
Climate 23
The Rivers 24
River flow 26
Groundwater 30
CHAPTER III Development from the Indus Rivers up to
1947 (pre-partition)
Early works .. 31
Development of the desert .. 33
Inter-State rivalries and disputes .. 36
Overall quantum and pattern of development .. 39
Irrigation from other sources .. 43
Agricultural seasons and crop pattern under
irrigation .. 44
Waterlogging and salinity .. 46
CHAPTER IV The Partition
Two sovereign nations succeed the British
Indian Empire .. 48
A new international boundary across the
Indus Basin .. 51
The aftermath of partition .. 52
The Indus waters dispute .. 56
vn
CHAPTER V Abortive India-Pakistan discussions
Formal beginning 63
Agreement of 4th May 1948 67
New difficulties 71
Pakistan proposes adjudication by International
Court 73
Implementation of the Agreement of May 1948 82
New Developments from the Indus rivers 84
A virtual stalemate 87
CHAPTER VI The World Bank lends a hand
The Lilienthal proposal .. 91
Black’s initiative .. 94
The understanding of 13th March 1952 .. 98
The Working Party meets .. 103
Field trip .. Ill
A fresh campaign and complaint by Pakistan .. 113
Indian and Pakistani plans ..118
Working Party reaches an impasse ..125
CHAPTER VII The Bank Proposal ..134
CHAPTER viii The Bank Proposal under fire
Initial reaction of the parties 145
The Indian acceptance .. 146
Pakistan’s negative response .. 149
Bank tries to placate Pakistan .. 151
Understanding of March 1952 is declared void .. 155
India opens Bhakra Canal .. 161
Fresh attempts towards resumption of talks 165
New terms of reference .. 170
CHAPTER IX The dialogue continues
Resumed negotiations—initial hurdles .. 175
Another field trip .. 180
The first agreement .. 183
Futile attempts to work out the ‘comprehensive
plan’ ..187
Two more agreements on transitional
arrangements ..190
qHAPTER X Adjustment to the Bank Proposal
‘The optimum plan’ ..195
Bank feels an adjustment is called for—
Aide-Memoire of 21st May 1956 .. 201
Reaction of the parties .. 206
Plans on the basis of the Bank Proposal and
the Aide-Memoire ..211
A virtual break-down 213
CHAPTER XI A new approach
Search for ‘heads of agreement’ proves futile .. 217
Words, words and more words .. 223
Situation as at end of 1957 .. 227
CHAPTER XII The final approach
Search for a new basis of settlement .. 229
Pakistan agrees to put up a plan .. 231
India sets a dead-line .. 234
The Pakistan plan .. 235
Pakistan digs in on the link canals .. 239
Another complaint by Pakistan .. 241
A convenient handle for Pakistan politicians .. 242
New thinking in India .. 243
India’s comments on Pakistan Plan—alternative
Indian plan 248
Pakistan accepts Bank Proposal
unconditionally .. 250
CHAPTER XIII Towards a solution
The situation clarifies .. 252
Another agreement on ad hoc transitional
arrangements .. 255
The basis of settlement .. 257
CHAPTER XIV Treaty making
Basic considerations .. 263
The first step—heads of agreement .. 267
The first draft (of 9th December, 1959) .. 270
A beginning is made with the Annexures .. 274
Announcement of the financial plan .. 277
The second draft (of 20th April, 1960) .. 278
Agreement on Indian uses from the Western
Rivers .. 286
The third draft (of 8th June 1960) ■ • 288
Transitional arrangements under the Treaty—
the final hurdle •• 289
The last lap • •
The Treaty is concluded • • 307
CHAPTER XV Of politics, international law and mediation
The influence of politics—national and
international 310
Centre-state and inter-Ministry co-ordination .. 318
Of law and legalities 320
On successful mediation ■. 330
CHAPTER XVI What the Treaty achieves
The end of a bitter controversy .. 339
Ratification of the Treaty .. 346
Developments in Pakistan flowing from the
Treaty .. 348
Developments in India .. 356
The Green revolution in the Indus basin .. 366
What if agreement had not been reached? .. 370
APPENDIX I The text of the Treaty .. 373
APPENDIX II Of those who toiled and strove .. 412
APPENDIX III Indus Waters—Agreement between the Govern
ment of India and the Government of Pakistan
on Ad-hoc Transitional Arrangements for the -
period from April 1, 1959 to March 31, 1960 .. 433
APPENDIX IV ‘Another Korea in the making?’ .. 440
APPENDIX v Definitions, Units and Abbreviations .. 448
STATEMENTS
Mean volumes of river flow .. 452
Seasonal variation in flow .. 452
River flow compared with canal withdrawals .. 453
Important particulars of canals, as in 1947 .. 454
Particulars of replacement-cum-develop-
ment works in Pakistan .. 455
