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India Temporarily Halts Chenab Water Flow via Baglihar Dam Amid Escalating Tensions with Pakistan
Srinagar:
In a symbolic and strategic move following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), India has briefly stopped the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River, officials confirmed. This temporary step, taken in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, is widely seen as a stern warning to Pakistan.
While the Baglihar Dam operates within the framework of the IWT and can store only a limited volume of water before mandatory release, sources say that similar action is being considered for the Kishanganga hydroelectric project in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipore district.
The Chenab is classified as a “western river” under the IWT, granting Pakistan unrestricted access. However, the treaty allows India limited non-consumptive use, such as for agriculture and hydroelectric power. The Baglihar Dam, a run-of-the-river project in Ramban district, currently produces 900 MW of electricity and lacks significant storage capacity. Its design and operations have previously drawn objections from Pakistan, which accused India of gaining undue strategic advantage. After prolonged bilateral discussions failed, Islamabad escalated the issue to the World Bank, which ruled in India’s favor on critical design aspects.
Similarly, the Kishanganga project has faced legal scrutiny, with Pakistan challenging India’s right to divert water from one tributary to another. However, a Court of Arbitration also upheld India’s position on that matter.
Despite the temporary nature of the current water stoppage—mandated by the design limitations of the Baglihar project—Pakistan has reacted strongly in the past to any attempts to alter water flows. Islamabad has previously warned that such measures could be construed as acts of war, threatening to suspend all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement.
This development comes against the backdrop of the deadly April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including 25 tourists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the assault as “an attack on India’s soul,” vowing unprecedented retribution against both the perpetrators and their sponsors. Preliminary findings suggest cross-border involvement in the attack, further straining already fragile ties between the two nations.
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