India to ask World Bank neutral expert to pause Kishanganga-Ratle proceedings under Indus Waters Treaty
India plans to halt the ongoing Kishanganga-Ratle hydel project dispute resolution. They will ask the World Bank-appointed neutral expert to pause the proceedings. This follows India's decision to put the Indus Waters Treaty in 'abeyance'. A mutually agreed work program between India, Pakistan, and the neutral expert is likely to be paused.
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India is set to ask the World Bank-appointed neutral expert, mediating the Kishanganga-Ratle hydel project dispute since 2022-23 under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), to put the proceedings in abeyance, ET has learnt.India is expected to cite 'changed circumstances' following the Pahalgam attack and its consequent decision to put the treaty in 'abeyance' and seek that, accordingly, the ongoing neutral expert-linked proceedings should be put in abeyance.As part of these proceedings, there is a mutually agreed 'work programme' between India, Pakistan and the World Bank's neutral expert Michel Lino that is likely to be paused, with India seeking abeyance of the IWT dispute resolution mechanism As per the agreed work programme for 2025, Pakistan was to submit its ' counter memorial ' by August 7. The fourth meeting of the neutral expert with the parties was lined up from November 17 to 22.This would have been significant as it would have involved presentation of India's memorial and Pakistan's counter memorial, questions by the neutral expert and preparation for the second site visit in India, most likely in December.India's reply and Pakistan's rejoinder in January and June 2026 and a possible fifth meeting of the neutral expert with the parties in July 2026 could have been the next step.Based on legal opinion on the matter, India is looking to hold back all these proceedings and is expected to soon write to the neutral expert on the same. The communication is likely to be endorsed to the World Bank, it is gathered.ET had reported on April 25 that the Centre was seeking legal opinion on exiting the ongoing neutral expert-led dispute resolution process in which it has actively participated so far.The neutral expert dispute redressal mechanism for Kishanganga-Ratle projects that took off in 2023 has already seen three high-level rounds of meetings in Vienna, sharing of considerable data and documentation and a site visit to the two project areas in India in June 2024.
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