• Indian and Pakistani delegations began the 116th Meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission

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• The Permanent Indus Commission’s meeting is being held after a gap of more than two and half years.
• The last meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission was held in Lahore on August 29, 2018
• Last year’s meeting scheduled to be held in March in New Delhi was cancelled in view of the Coronavirus pandemic
• The current meeting coincided with the National Day of Pakistan which marks the March 23, 1940 Lahore Resolution which paved the way for the creation of Pakistan.
• The positive backdrop of the talks between the two delegations has indicated that the interaction is likely supported by the reported back channel talks that are taking place between India and Pakistan.
• The Commission deals with water rights on the Indus river.
• The Permanent Indus Commission was set up under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960.
• The Indus water treaty warrants the two commissioners to meet at least once a year.
• The Indus Waters Treaty was signed between then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former Pakistan President Ayub Khan.
• It sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers.