After putting the Indus Water Treaty on hold, India has given strict instructions to rapidly complete four big hydropower projects on the Chenab River. This project is in Jammu and Kashmir and it will generate electricity. Also, control over the flow of water will increase. Chenab River is part of the Indus Basin, which is very important for Pakistan because more than 90% of its agriculture and water needs depend on it.
Union Minister Khattar visited
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar visited these dam sites in Jammu and Kashmir for two days. He monitored the progress of the project and ordered to enforce strict deadlines. Now the target is fixed to complete these projects soon.
What are these 4 big projects?
- Pakal Dul: The capacity of this dam being built in Kishtwar district will be 1,000 MW. This will be the highest dam in India, whose height will be 167 meters. This is the first storage project on western rivers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid its foundation stone in May 2018. Now the target is to make it operational by December 2026.
- Kiru: The height of this dam being built in Kishtwar district will be 135 meters. It will be made run-of-the-river type. Along with Pakal Dul, a target has been set to start it by December 2026.
- Quar: The height of this dam is 109 meters and it will be run-of-the-river. For this, the diversion of the river was completed in January 2024. The completion date of the Kwar project is March 2028.
- Ratle: The capacity of this dam will be 850 MW and it will be built 133 meters high. The river was diverted through the tunnel in 2024 and now its concrete work has started. It will be completed by 2028. Pakistan had objected to its spillway design.
Apart from these, Dulhasti Stage-2 project has also been approved by the committee of Environment Ministry in December 2025. Pakistan also objected to this, but India rejected it. All these projects are in Chenab Basin. Pakistan is monitoring these and has already expressed objections on Ratle and Dulhasti-2.
What impact will these projects have on Pakistan?
Chenab River is the ‘lifeline’ of Pakistan. The water coming from here is mostly used for irrigation, dams and canals of Pakistan. 9 out of 10 Pakistanis depend on this water. These steps of India will increase control over the flow of water, due to which strategic pressure is increasing on Pakistan.
This decision has come after the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty after the Pahalgam terrorist attack. India is now preparing to utilize the full hydropower potential of these rivers. The further situation will depend on the progress of these projects.
