India may not break Indus Waters Treaty but mulls using its full share of water

India may not break the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan but will soon start utilising its full share of water which would affect the neighbouring country to a large extent as it was being given to it till now, a source said in New Delhi on Monday.

"We are entitled to take 3.6 million acre feet (MAF) water under the arrangement. The government is considering to start utilising it," a government official told the media.

According to the official, India was not using its share of water till date and it was being given to Pakistan instead, but now New Delhi is thinking of using its full share to irrigate agricultural land in Jammu and Kashmir.

"India can generate 18,000 MW of power by using allowed amount of water but generates only 3,000 MW of power as of now," he said, adding that if New Delhi accumulates 3.6 million MAF water, according to the treaty, it has to release just 0.5 million MAF to Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, discussed the Indus Waters Treaty according to which India has control over three eastern rivers -- Beas, Ravi and Sutlej -- all flowing from Punjab, while Pakistan controls the western rivers -- the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum that flow from Jammu and Kashmir.

Shashi Shekhar, Secretary, Water Resources Ministry, gave a presentation on the treaty signed between the two neighbouring nations in 1960.

Jammu and Kashmir has also been demanding a review of the treaty as it robs the state of its right to use the water of the rivers.

The meeting was held in the wake of the September 18 terror attack in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir by four terrorists which left 18 soldiers dead. The terrorists reportedly belonged to the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group based in Pakistan.