Amid calls to scrap pact with Pak, Modi holds meet to discuss Indus Water Treaty

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a meeting on Monday on the Indus Water Treaty, amid calls from various quarters that the government should scrap the water distribution pact to mount pressure on Pakistan in wake of the Uri terror attack.

According to sources, senior officials will brief the Prime Minister on the matter and discuss its pros and cons.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, the Water Resources Secretary, and senior PMO officials were present at the meeting.

The review is being undertaken as India weighs options to give a befitting response to Pakistan in the wake of the Uri attack that left 18 soldiers dead.

India had last week week made it clear that "mutual trust and cooperation" was important for such a treaty to work. The assertion came amid calls that the government should scrap the water distribution pact to mount pressure on Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack.

"It cannot be a one-sided affair," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said when asked if the government will rethink on the Indus Waters Treaty given the growing strain between the two countries.

He also noted that the preamble of the Treaty itself said it was based on "goodwill".

He refused to elaborate and only noted that in diplomacy everything was not spelled out and that he has not said that the treaty was not working.

Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, water of six river - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum - were to be shared between the two countries.

Pakistan has been complaining of not receiving enough water and gone for international arbitration in couple of cases.

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh had said last week that his state will fully support whatever decision is taken by the Union government on the 1960 agreement.

"The treaty has caused huge loss to Jammu and Kashmir" as the people of the state cannot fully utilise the waters of various rivers, particularly Chenab in Jammu, for agricultural and other activities, Singh had said.

"The state government will support whatever decision is taken by the central government on Indus Waters Treaty," he had said.