Govt Working On 3 Plans To Block Indus Water Flow to Pakistan, Plans Dam Expansion
India has decided to stop the flow of Indus River water to Pakistan and expand dam capacity after suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, sources confirmed on Friday.
The Indian government has reportedly decided to stop the flow of Indus River water to Pakistan in a decisive move following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives and was allegedly orchestrated by Pakistan-based terrorists.
The decision, sources said, comes on the heels of the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). India has also planned to expand its dam infrastructure along the Indus basin to retain more water.
A day after the announcement, the Ministry of Water Resources issued a formal notification suspending the IWT, which has governed water-sharing between India and Pakistan for over six decades. The suspension halts all treaty obligations, including annual meetings between Indus Commissioners, prior information on projects, and water data sharing.
“The treaty is being held in abeyance,” the notification stated, granting India the freedom to proceed with dam construction on western rivers without needing to consult Pakistan.
In an official letter addressed to Pakistani officials, Water Resources Secretary Debashree Mukherjee said India’s treaty obligations were being impeded by Pakistan’s “sustained cross-border terrorism.”
“The obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental. However, sustained acts of terror by Pakistan targeting Jammu and Kashmir violate the spirit of the treaty,” she wrote.
Reacting sharply, Pakistan called India’s move an “act of war” and rejected the suspension. Pakistani authorities warned of serious consequences if the water flow is stopped, citing the treaty’s importance to the country’s agriculture.
The treaty, signed in 1960 after World Bank-led negotiations, allocates control over the eastern rivers (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi) to India and the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan.
Experts say suspending the treaty and expanding dam capacities could drastically affect Pakistan’s crop cycles and irrigation planning. “This will impact Pakistan’s Rabi and Kharif harvests, especially in Punjab and Sindh regions,” said water management expert Rakesh Tiwari.
The move is part of a broader set of measures that include expelling Pakistani diplomats, suspending visas, and closing major border transit posts.
The water treaty suspension underscores India’s hardened stance following one of the deadliest terror attacks in Kashmir in years. While legal experts note that the treaty does not contain provisions for unilateral suspension, Indian officials maintain that national security concerns override all else.
Further actions on dam building and water control are expected to be announced in the coming weeks
