Indus river
[Representational Image] According to the Indus Water Treaty, India has full rights on the eastern rivers — Sutlej, Beas and Ravi — and must allow unrestricted flow of water of the western rivers — Indus, Chenab and Jhelum — to Pakistan. Picture: A man sits on a boundary wall near the Indus river in Gilgit on Reuters

It seems the tension between the two nuclear-armed states in South Asia is far from over. In another offensive move, India has now refused to share hydrological data during flood season with Pakistan as per 1989 agreement. India, however, argued that the information will only be provided pertaining to "extraordinary discharges and flood flows".

The national daily, the Times of India reported that since the signing of an agreement with Pakistan, India renewed the agreement as a goodwill gesture. But this year amid tension between two countries after India abrogated the abrogation of Jammu & Kashmir's special status and the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories, India has decided against renewing the agreement.

PK Saxena, Indian Commissioner for Indus Waters, "This agreement was not renewed in the current year by us." He further said that the Indus water treaty signed between two countries in 1960 for water sharing will continue to be in place. "India as a responsible nation is committed to the provisions of the IWT," he added. Interestingly, India and Pakistan signed an agreement in 1989 to share hydrological data during flood season between July 1 and October 10. He said, "This was the arrangement beyond the IWT provisions as a gesture of goodwill from India. This arrangement was being renewed every year since 1989 with modifications as and when required."

Waterways project
Kashmiri boatmen extract sand from the Jhelum river in Srinagar, September 26, 2016. [Representational Image]Reuters

Talking on IWT he argued, "Under the Treaty provisions, India is required to provide advance information in regard to 'extraordinary discharges and flood flows'. This is being done whenever the extraordinary flows are reached." The decision to not renew the agreement has been communicated to Pakistan earlier this week. Notably, the same day Union Jal Shakti (water resources) minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that government is working on a plan to divert water from its share which flows into Pakistan. The diverted water is allowed to be used by its own farmers, industries and people.

India and Pakistan signed the Indus water treaty in 1960 in which usage of streams was decided. As per the agreement, waters of eastern rivers including Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej are allocated to India. Similarly, the western flowing river Indus, Jhelum and Chenab are allowed to be used by Pakistan. Moreover, the treaty allows India to use water from the Western River for irrigation and generating hydro-electric power.