NEW DELHI: The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) will remain in abeyance despite India and Pakistan agreeing to a military truce. India wants political discussions on the IWT to negotiate terms more favourable to its interests, officials said.The 65-year-old treaty was suspended by India following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. The massacre prompted India to conduct precision strikes deep within Pakistan targeting terror camps. “Ceasefire is military disengagement; this does not meet our demand to re-discuss and renegotiate the treaty in the current context,” a senior official at the Jal Shakti Ministry said on condition of anonymity.The Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) from India and Pakistan have agreed to halt firings and military actions on land, air, and sea, effective from 5 pm on Saturday. Both countries plan to discuss implementation of the ceasefire on May 12 to establish peace along LoC and International Border. “However, there will be no discussions regarding IWT,” the official said.Experts say India is expected to push Pakistan to renegotiate the treaty given the current context. It aims to address siltation issues that have reduced the effectiveness of water projects. India seeks to construct water storage facilities as permitted under the IWT to hold at least 3.6 million acre-feet of water allocated to it. However, due to Pakistan’s objections, India has been unable to initiate new projects to utilise water for its needs. “The situation will not remain like before on the Indus Waters Treaty,” said Shashi Shekhar, former secretary, Jal Shakti Ministry.
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