What is the Indus Water Treaty (IWT)?

• The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, for the use of water available in the Indus and its tributaries. 
• It was signed in Karachi by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistan President Mohammed Ayub Khan after years of negotiations arranged by the World Bank, which is also a signatory.

Which rivers belong to India and which ones to Pakistan?

• According to the IWT, India enjoys the “unrestricted use” of the three Eastern Rivers (Beas, Ravi, Sutlej) whereas Pakistan got control of the three “Western Rivers” (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum). 

• In effect, the treaty gave India about 30% of the water carried out by the Indus Rivers System while Pakistan got 70% of the waters.
• While Pakistan has rights over the waters of Jhelum, Chenab and Indus, the treaty allows India certain agricultural uses, and to build ‘run of the river’ hydropower projects, meaning projects not requiring live storage of water. 

Permanent Indus Commission

• The treaty also required both countries to create a Permanent Indus Commission, a bilateral commission of officials from India and Pakistan, created to implement and manage goals of the Indus Waters Treaty.
• The Commission, according to the treaty, shall meet regularly at least once a year, alternately in India and Pakistan.

Dispute Resolution

• The Treaty also sets forth distinct procedures to handle issues which may arise: “questions” are at the Permanent Commission; “differences” are to be resolved by a Neutral Expert; and “disputes” are to be referred to an ad hoc arbitral tribunal called the “Court of Arbitration.” 

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/world-bank-neutral-expert-says-competent-to-judge-indus-water-treaty-dispute/article69123775.ece