India Asks World Bank to Halt Proceedings on Hydropower Dispute After Suspending Indus Waters Treaty

 India Asks World Bank to Halt Proceedings on Hydropower Dispute After Suspending Indus Waters Treaty

Following its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), India has formally asked the World Bank-appointed neutral expert to pause ongoing proceedings related to two contentious hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir. These projects — Kishanganga on the Kishanganga river and Ratle on the Chenab river — have long been a source of dispute between India and Pakistan.

India’s request was sent directly to the neutral expert, Michel Lino, who was appointed by the World Bank to examine technical differences between the two countries under the framework of the treaty. India cited the government's recent decision to place the IWT “in abeyance” — essentially putting the agreement on hold — as the basis for halting the current proceedings.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Michel Lino has now reached out to Pakistan to get its stance on India’s request. Unsurprisingly, Pakistan has objected to any pause, maintaining that the process should continue regardless of India’s suspension of the treaty.

The Kishanganga project, already operational, diverts water from a tributary of the Jhelum River to generate electricity, while the Ratle project is under development on the Chenab River. Pakistan has repeatedly raised objections to the design and operation of both projects, claiming they violate the treaty’s conditions.

India, on the other hand, maintains that both projects are fully compliant with the treaty and that Pakistan has used the World Bank's dispute resolution mechanism as a delaying tactic.

The decision to suspend the IWT marks a significant shift in India’s approach to managing water-sharing with Pakistan. New Delhi has argued that the treaty’s spirit has been undermined by Pakistan’s repeated attempts to internationalize bilateral issues and involve third-party intervention through legal and diplomatic pressure.

India’s call for a pause in the World Bank expert’s process is being viewed as a direct consequence of this broader strategic rethinking. It remains to be seen how the World Bank and the neutral expert will respond, especially as the dispute resolution mechanisms under the treaty are now in a legal and diplomatic grey zone due to India’s suspension of the agreement.