In the wake of heightened tensions, India is accelerating the progress of hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). This acceleration coincides with Pakistan raising the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) at the United Nations (UN).
Following the suspension of the IWT, India has been fast-tracking the completion of several hydropower projects in J&K. These projects, including the 2,185 MW Sawalkote Hydropower Project, the 850 MW Ratle, 624 MW Kiru, 540 MW Kwar, and 1,000 MW Pakal Dul projects, are located on the Chenab River. The Ratle project is expected to be the first to come online in May 2026. The 260-megawatt Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district has also been approved. The Indian government put the IWT in abeyance after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year, in which 26 people were killed.
These projects are intended to boost clean energy production and assert India's rights over the Indus river system. Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, has stated that the termination of the IWT is a "historic correction" that will allow J&K to fully exploit its hydropower potential, improve irrigation, and build new infrastructure.
Pakistan has responded by raising concerns at the UN, accusing India of "weaponizing water" by suspending the IWT. In a letter to the UN Security Council (UNSC), Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, claimed that India's actions threaten the human rights and food security of millions of Pakistanis and pose a grave risk to regional peace and security. Dar met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the President of the UN General Assembly, Philemon Yang, to discuss the issue, emphasizing that India's actions violate the IWT and threaten regional stability. Pakistan has also sought to circulate the letter as an official Security Council document.
India suspended the IWT after a gun attack killed 26 people in the disputed Kashmir region on April 22. India Today reported that, under the suspended treaty, Pakistan controlled the waters of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while India controlled the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers. With the treaty on hold, Indian authorities are no longer notifying Pakistan about the release or restriction of water flows from various dams in J&K. India has also resolved to expedite construction of hydroelectric projects that had earlier drawn objections from Pakistan under the IWT.
The IWT, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, governs the sharing of water resources between India and Pakistan. Pakistan fears that India's actions could disrupt water flows, triggering a humanitarian crisis and jeopardizing its agriculture and food supply. India's actions disregard international law and could have far-reaching consequences for global peace and stability.
India, on the other hand, views these projects as a means of achieving energy self-reliance, carbon neutrality, and water sovereignty. Fast-tracking these projects strengthens India's legal and diplomatic position under the IWT by asserting its rightful use of river resources and countering Pakistan's attempts to internationalize water-sharing issues.
