He stressed that nan treaty, arsenic primitively drafted, does not incorporate a proviso for suspension. “The measurement it was drawn up, it either needs to beryllium gone aliases it needs to beryllium replaced by different one. That requires nan 2 countries to want to agree,” he said.
Days aft India announced nan suspension of nan Indus Water Treaty (IWT) successful a awesome negotiated move against Pakistan, World Bank President Ajay Banga clarified nan institution’s constricted domiciled successful nan matter, firmly stating that nan Bank is not an arbitrator and will not intervene successful nan conflict betwixt nan 2 countries.
In an question and reply pinch CNBC-TV18’s Shereen Bhan, Banga said, “No, nan pact is not suspended. It’s technically called thing successful abeyance, is really nan Indian authorities worded it.”
He stressed that nan treaty, arsenic primitively drafted, does not incorporate a proviso for suspension. “The measurement it was drawn up, it either needs to beryllium gone aliases it needs to beryllium replaced by different one. That requires nan 2 countries to want to agree,” he said.
Clarifying nan World Bank’s role, Banga added, “The World Bank's domiciled is fundamentally that of a provider if they disagree — not by america making a determination — but by america being nan statement that goes done a process to find a neutral master aliases an arbitrator tribunal to settee it.”
He further explained that nan Bank’s engagement is mostly administrative and financial, including mounting up a spot money astatine nan clip of nan treaty’s creation to salary nan fees of those arbitrators.
“That's our role. We person nary domiciled to play beyond that,” Banga asserted, adding, “I haven't heard from either state yet astir thing to do pinch nan Indus Water Treaty.”
Responding to media speculation, Banga said, “It's each bunk because we don't person that domiciled to play… The pact is simply a pact betwixt 2 sovereign nations and they person to determine whether that's what they want to proceed with. It's their decision.”
While acknowledging nan pact has seen “ups and downs” complete nan past 60 years, Banga reiterated that immoderate alteration is simply a sovereign choice. “The World Bank's domiciled is what nan World Bank's domiciled is arsenic defined successful nan pact — nary much and nary less.”
Published on: May 9, 2025 12:13 PM IST