In a major strategic shift, India has stopped the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River, effectively operationalising its suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The attack, which killed 26 people — most of them tourists — has prompted strong diplomatic and policy responses from New Delhi.
A senior official familiar with the developments confirmed that the move is part of a broader framework being prepared by the government to assert India’s water rights and apply pressure on Pakistan through controlled regulation of river flows. “We are now regulating water release timing through key hydroelectric dams such as Baglihar and are working on implementing similar measures at the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum,” the source stated.
The Baglihar Dam, located in Jammu’s Ramban district, has long been a point of contention between India and Pakistan. Built on the Chenab — one of the western rivers allocated to Pakistan under the 1960 treaty — the dam has faced scrutiny and arbitration demands from Islamabad in the past. Similarly, the Kishanganga Dam in north Kashmir, which diverts water from the Neelum (a tributary of the Jhelum), has sparked legal challenges over its downstream impact on Pakistan-administered territory.
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The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has so far survived several Indo-Pakistani conflicts. However, India’s latest move marks a decisive step away from the treaty’s provisions in response to what officials call Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism.
Sources indicated that India is not withdrawing from the treaty unilaterally but rather suspending key provisions until Pakistan takes concrete actions to curb terrorism. The Centre is reportedly developing a long-term framework to institutionalize this strategic shift, balancing national security imperatives with international obligations.
As water diplomacy takes center stage in Indo-Pak relations, the coming weeks are expected to see heightened regional and global attention on how this evolving situation unfolds.
