India Accelerates Hydropower Push in Jammu & Kashmir Following Suspension of Indus Waters Treaty

 In a significant geopolitical and infrastructural development, India is intensifying non-military measures against Pakistan, prominently marked by the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The move, initiated in the wake of the April 23 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, is expected to unlock a long-delayed wave of hydroelectric development in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to senior government sources, the Centre is poised to fast-track multiple strategic hydroelectric projects in the region. A high-level inter-ministerial meeting, expected this week, will be chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and include participation from Water Resources Minister C.R. Patil, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and top bureaucrats from the concerned ministries.

This would mark the third such strategic consultation since the suspension of the IWT, underlining the urgency with which the Centre intends to move forward. The focus is now squarely on reviving and accelerating six major hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir:

• Sawalkot Hydroelectric Project (1,856 MW) – located on the Chenab River in Ramban and Udhampur districts

• Pakal Dul (1,000 MW)

• Ratle (850 MW)

• Bursar (800 MW)

• Kiru (624 MW)

• Kirthai I & II (Total 1,320 MW)

Collectively, these projects are projected to contribute up to 10,000 megawatts of power generation capacity, transforming the energy landscape of Jammu and Kashmir and bolstering water availability for irrigation and drinking purposes in the plains, sources said.

With the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, India is no longer obligated to provide a six-month notice to Pakistan before commencing new works on the shared rivers. The cessation of data sharing and procedural notifications removes a major procedural bottleneck that has long hampered progress on vital infrastructure.

The policy shift also opens the door for new developments on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers, as well as the potential revival of the ecologically significant Wular Lake, which had previously faced restrictions under treaty provisions.

Sources indicate that the government is operating on a comprehensive three-tiered strategic plan concerning the IWT: short-term, midterm, and long-term. The revival and acceleration of power projects fall within the short-term framework and are being prioritized accordingly.

In a related development, Jammu and Kashmir's former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi over the weekend. While details of the discussion remain confidential, sources confirm that the status and future of hydropower initiatives in the Union Territory featured prominently in the meeting.

This recalibration of water resource strategy marks a pivotal moment in India’s policy approach towards Pakistan, shifting the focus to infrastructure leverage and domestic capacity-building, while navigating the complexities of regional geopolitics and national security.