The Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday that Pakistan has asked India to share information on designs of hydropower projects that it was planning to develop. The request was made at the annual Permanent Indus Commission meeting in New Delhi.

“Indian side assured that the information will be supplied as and when required to be supplied under the provisions of the treaty,” a statement released by the foreign ministry said.

Discussions also continued on the designs of two Indian projects – Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir. The ministry said India held that these projects were fully compliant with the provisions of the treaty and provided technical data in support of its position.

“The meeting was held in a cordial manner,” the statement said. “Both the commissioners reaffirmed their commitment to interact more frequently in an attempt to resolve the issues by bilateral discussions under the treaty. It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the PIC [Permanent Indus Commission] in Pakistan on mutually convenient dates.”

The Indian delegation was led by Indus Commissioner PK Saxena and his team comprised officials from the Central Water Commission, the Central Electricity Authority and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, reported PTI. Indus Commissioner Syed Muhammad Meher Ali Shah led the Pakistani delegation.

The Indus river and its tributaries are crucial to both the countries. According to the Indus Waters Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, the Indus commissioners from the two countries are required to meet at least once a year. However, the meeting could not take place last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This year’s meeting is also the first since India abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019. Tensions had flared up between India and Pakistan following the Centre’s decision.

Since the last meeting in Lahore in August 2018, India has cleared several hydropower projects in Ladakh. These include projects in Chilling, Rongdo and Ratan Nag in Leh, while Mangdum Sangra, Kargil Hunderman and Tamasha are in Kargil.

India has the right to generate hydroelectricity through run-of-the-river projects on the western Indus rivers – Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab – subject to certain criteria for design and operation, according to the treaty. Further, all the waters of the eastern rivers – Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi – amounting to about 33 million (3.3 crore) acre feet annually is allocated to India for unrestricted use.

Pakistan has the right to object to designs of Indian hydroelectric projects on the western rivers. Pakistan has also been assigned the waters of the western rivers amounting to about 135 acre feet annually.