India Wields Water as Strategic Leverage After Pakistan&rsquo;s Missile Test and Continued Support for Terrorism
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In a bold and unprecedented move, India has significantly reduced the downstream flow of the Chenab River into Pakistan by closing the sluice gates at the Baglihar Dam, a key hydropower project in Jammu and Kashmir. This calculated step, initiated shortly after Pakistan test-fired a surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Sunday, marks a significant shift in India&rsquo;s strategic posture&mdash;leveraging its upstream rights over the Indus waters as a tool of deterrence against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
The operation, officially termed as &ldquo;de-silting and maintenance&rdquo; by Indian authorities, has reportedly reduced Chenab&rsquo;s water flow into Pakistan by up to 90%. Engineers from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) confirmed that sluice gates at the Baglihar Dam were shut on Saturday, with the process aimed at sediment removal and reservoir replenishment. However, Indian officials privately acknowledge that this move is part of a broader strategy following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which has governed the sharing of the Indus river system between the two countries since 1960.
In parallel, similar desilting operations are being planned at the Kishanganga hydroelectric project on the Jhelum River. Located in the strategic Gurez Valley, the Kishanganga dam is another critical hydropower facility that will soon undergo maintenance, halting water flow downstream towards Pakistan. Pakistan has long objected to the design and operation of both the Baglihar and Kishanganga projects, claiming they violate treaty provisions. India, however, maintains that both projects comply with the technical stipulations laid out under the IWT.
The timing of India&rsquo;s action is no coincidence. It follows not only the missile test by Pakistan but also the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which left dozens of Indian and foreign tourists dead&mdash;an act attributed to Pakistan-based terror outfits. In the wake of the attack, India formally placed the IWT &ldquo;in abeyance&rdquo; and began exploring all legal and engineering options to maximise the use of its share of river waters flowing from Jammu and Kashmir, including the Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus.
&ldquo;Since India has suspended the implementation of the treaty, we are free to utilise our river waters for national development,&rdquo; said a senior official from the Jal Shakti ministry. The official further revealed that over 50 NHPC engineers have been deployed across Jammu and Kashmir to ensure smooth execution of this plan.
In addition to the immediate moves at Baglihar and Kishanganga, India is accelerating work on four major hydropower projects on the Chenab River: Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Kiru (624 MW), Kwar (540 MW), and Ratle (850 MW). These projects, forming the backbone of India&rsquo;s long-term water security and energy independence strategy in the region, are being jointly executed by NHPC and the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC). Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally laid the foundation stones of these projects between 2018 and 2022, signalling their strategic significance.
From a technical standpoint, under the IWT, India was allowed only limited utilisation of the Western Rivers&mdash;Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab&mdash;primarily for non-consumptive uses such as hydroelectric power generation. Pakistan, in turn, received rights to over 70% of the 99 billion cubic metres of annual flow from these rivers. This asymmetric allocation has long been a point of contention in India, especially given Pakistan&rsquo;s continued support for cross-border terrorism.
With India now reassessing the treaty in the light of evolving security dynamics, experts suggest this marks the beginning of a new phase in Indo-Pakistani relations where water, once a shared resource under international supervision, may be wielded as a sovereign tool of strategic influence.
This reorientation also fits into India&rsquo;s broader push to reassert control over its natural resources in Jammu and Kashmir&mdash;a region central not just to territorial integrity but also to national energy planning. &ldquo;We are not violating the treaty; we are simply exercising our full rights under it, especially now that it has been suspended due to Pakistan&rsquo;s hostile actions,&rdquo; noted an Indian official familiar with the matter.
In sum, India&rsquo;s decision to halt water flow from the Chenab to Pakistan is a multi-dimensional manoeuvre&mdash;punitive, strategic, and infrastructural. It underscores New Delhi&rsquo;s resolve to counter terrorism not only through conventional military means but by reshaping the geopolitical terrain, one river at a time.
📊 Purpose:&nbsp;Highlight the capacity and strategic timeline of Indian hydropower investments.
Sections:
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Project Timeline</li>
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal">Pakal Dul: 1,000 MW &ndash; Commissioning by 2028</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Kiru: 624 MW</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Kwar: 540 MW</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Ratle: 850 MW</li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal">Energy Output vs Treaty Allowance</li>
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal">India&rsquo;s 3.6 MAF storage vs Pakistan&rsquo;s 70% water share</li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal">Water as Strategy</li>
<ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal">Dams = Energy + Deterrence</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Treaty Abeyance = Full domestic usage</li>
</ul>
</ul>

New Delhi curbs Chenab river flow after Pakistan's missile test, cites terrorism concerns

India Blocks Chenab Water Flow to Pakistan

New Delhi curbs Chenab river flow after Pakistan's missile test, cites terrorism concerns

May 5, 2025 | 13:55 IST