India has asked Michel Lino, the World Bank's neutral expert, to pause his proceedings on the disputes of the Ratle and the Kishanganga hydropower projects.
The letter comes after the Union government decided to place the Indus Water Treaty in Abeyance, according to the Indian Express.
Lino, a French dam engineer and the president of the International Commission on Large Dams, was appointed by the World Bank to hear both India and Pakistan and determine whether the hydro dam projects comply with the Indus Water Treaty. He was appointed on October 13, 2022, under Article IX and Annexure F of the treaty.
As a technical adjudicator, Lino is expected to also consider Pakistan’s comments before actually deciding to pause the proceedings.
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In a formal notification, New Delhi requested Lino to vacate his work programme related to the hydropower projects located in Jammu and Kashmir, on the Kishanganga and Chenab rivers.
Pakistan has claimed that India is violating the treaty especially when it comes to the minimum water flow requirement. Islamabad has also opposed any proposal to suspend the dispute proceedings.
Pakistan was to submit a written response or counter-memorial to India’s submission on August 7, 2025. The fourth meeting, which was scheduled for November 17 to 22 would have involved presenting India’s written arguments, Pakistan’s counter and questioning by Lino. This would have been followed by preparations for a second visit in December.
For now, the Indus Water Treaty will remain in abeyance. India has not responded to Pakistan's offer to discuss the concerns regarding the treaty.
On Tuesday, a United Nations spokesperson said that natural resources should be shared based on mutually accepted treaties. Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that the Indus Water treaty would “never be restored”.
The Indus Water Treaty of 1960 was put into abeyance after 26 people were killed in the Pahalgam terror attacks launched by a Pakistan-based terror group. Pakistan, however, has denied any involvement in the attack and said that withholding the water would be considered “an act of war”.
