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| Aerial view of a large hydroelectric dam built on the Indus River, a symbol of India's water resource development. |
India's Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar recently announced that India will build a larger reservoir for hydroelectric projects in the Indus Basin in Jammu and Kashmir. The work on this project is currently in the initial stage. This step has given a new dimension to the existing tension between India and Pakistan over the Indus Water Treaty.
At a press conference on Tuesday (June 10), Manohar Lal Khattar said that no changes will be made to the projects that have already been taken up under the Indus Water Treaty. Because the technical details required for those projects have been finalized. However, the work on some new projects is at a very early stage, and it is being considered to increase the capacity of their reservoirs so that more electricity can be generated.
It is worth noting that the Indus Water Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan in 1960 under the mediation of the World Bank. According to this treaty, the three eastern rivers of the six rivers of the Indus Basin – the Ravi (Irrawaddy), Beas and Sutlej (Shatdru) – fall under India’s share. While the western rivers Indus, Jhelum and Chenab fall under Pakistan’s share of 80 percent. India has long been demanding a change or review of the treaty, especially as climate change exacerbates the water crisis.
India’s plans to build this new reservoir could cause concern for Pakistan. Because more than 80 percent of Pakistan’s agriculture and one-third of its hydroelectric power generation depend on the waters of the Indus Basin. Many analysts believe that such a move by India will further exacerbate Pakistan’s water crisis. Pakistan has objected to India’s dam construction projects in the past and has called such moves “an act of war.”
The Indian central government wants to quickly complete work on four major hydroelectric projects on the Chenab River. These projects are Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Raital (850 MW), Kiru (624 MW) and Kowar (540 MW).1 The construction of these reservoirs will increase India's power generation capacity, but the impact on downstream Pakistan remains to be seen.
Date: June 11, 2025
Author: Kazi Fahsin
Publisher: Novokanth (Novonicle)
