Lessons and Inspirations from International Cooperation and Dispute Resolution on Water Resources Development in the Indus River Basin
印度河流域水资源开发利用国际合作与纠纷处理的经验及启示

Most areas of the Indus River basin are located in an arid and semi-arid region with emerging high stresses on water resources development and utilization. International disputes on water resources development and utilization had arisen between India and Pakistan, who are the two main riparian countries in the Indus River Basin, once they were independent in 1947. After nearly 10 years of hard negotiations under the coordination of the World Bank, The Indus Waters Treaty was finally signed by the two hostile countries in 1960. The international cooperation on Indus waters allocation has led to a remarkable effect on the peaceful development and utilization of water resources and the economic and social development in the two countries. However, there are still some international disputes on water resources development over the western rivers of the Indus River System arising. Based on a systematical examination of the water resources characteristics and the status of the Indus waters development and utilization, the process of the Indus Waters Treaty negotiation and the main regulations, the international disputes on ongoing and emerging water resources development projects and the resolutions and etc., this paper draws some relevant lessons and useful inspirations. Those mainly include: applying principles of equal allocation and reasonable compensation was the key to achieve the Indus Waters Treaty 1960; a third party such as the World bank played a significant role in promoting international cooperation on transboundary waters allocation; incorporating detailed and exercisable specifications or provisions into an international waters treaty is an important assurance to avoid or properly resolve the water disputes in the treaty implementation. The Indus waters allocation approach may not be suitable for applying to other international rivers nowadays in the context of advocating integrated river basin management and aquatic ecological environment protection by the international community. Nevertheless, the experience and lessons from the international cooperation on Indus waters allocation and the dispute resolutions still have great value for referring in international rivers cooperation and development of water treaties.