India puts off Pak visit for Indus basin inspection

India puts off Pak visit for Indus basin inspection

1. A visit by the Indian team to Pakistan for inspection of projects in the Indus River Basin has been postponed. The visit was scheduled in March 2019. The Pakistani team had visited India in January 2019
2. At 115th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission held in 2018, commissioners of both India and Pakistan had agreed to undertake treaty-mandated tours of the Indus basin on both sides.
3. Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) is an established mechanism under the Indus water Treaty. Its mandate is to a) establish and maintain cooperative arrangements for the implementation of the Indus water Treaty and b) to promote cooperation between India and Pakistan in the development of the Indus water systems. It consists of commissioners who are representatives of their respective governments for all matters arising out of the treaty. The PIC meet regularly at least once a year, alternately in India and Pakistan.
4. The Indus Waters Treaty, 1960 is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan. As per the treaty, India controls the waters of three eastern rivers namely Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, while Pakistan manages western rivers, namely Indus, Chenab and Jhelum.