India's Move on River Chenab Raises Concerns
The temporary halt of water flow from the Baglihar dam on the Chenab river has significant implications for Pakistan's water supply, and the situation is being closely monitored. The Indus Waters Treaty allows India to use the waters of western rivers, including the Chenab, for non-consumptive purposes such as hydroelectric power generation, but the current tensions between the two countries may lead to further disputes.
India has initiated a "reservoir flushing" process at two hydroelectric projects in Indian-occupied Kashmir, potentially affecting Pakistan's water supply, which relies heavily on rivers flowing through India, including the River Chenab.
The process, aimed at removing sediment that has built up and is reducing the projects' output, has been carried out for the first time since the projects were built in 1987 and 2008-2009. India has implied cross-border links without evidence, while Pakistan has vehemently denied the allegations, leading to tensions between the two countries over the Indus Waters Treaty.
The treaty, signed in 1960, divides the Indus and its tributaries between the two countries, and India had previously been blocked from carrying out such work. The move has raised concerns about the potential impact on Pakistan's water supply, with India cutting off water flow to Pakistan from the Baglihar dam on the Chenab river, reducing downstream flow by up to 90%.
India has also begun de-silting operations in the Baglihar dam and plans to taper down runoffs from the Kishanganga project on the Jhelum river. The government has paused the 60-year-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan due to long-running disputes, and is now exploring ways to use its river waters for the benefit of its citizens, including making progress on four hydel power projects on the Chenab river.
The situation remains tense, with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing to punish those responsible for the recent terror attack, and the country investigating the incident. The move to stop water flow is seen as a warning to Pakistan, which has threatened to suspend bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement, in response.