India pushes ahead with Sawalkote Dam in J&K: Why Pakistan fears a further water squeeze?

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India is moving forward with the long-stalled Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, a development that carries both energy and geopolitical implications, especially for Pakistan.

The 1,856 MW project, one of India’s largest, has officially entered its execution phase. On July 29, the NHPC floated a Rs 200 crore tender for planning, design, and engineering. International firms can bid until September 10. This is only the first of several tenders expected in the coming months.

What is the Sawalkote project?

Conceived in the 1960s and delayed by decades of legal, environmental, and political hurdles, the project will come up near Sidhu village in Ramban district. It includes a 192.5-metre high concrete gravity dam, nine turbines, an underground power station, and a vast reservoir capable of holding over 500 million cubic metres of water. Once operational, it’s expected to generate 8,000 million units of clean electricity annually.

National priority status

Declared a “project of national importance” by the Indian government in June, the move gives NHPC more flexibility in execution. During his Lok Sabha speech on Operation Sindoor on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that the Indus Waters Treaty would continue to be in abeyance, saying that blood and water cannot flow together.

Home Minister Amit Shah said in Parliament: “The Indus Water Treaty was one-sided… Farmers of India also have the right over the water.”

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar added, “The Indus Water Treaty will be held in abeyance until Pakistan irrevocably gives up its support of terrorism. We have warned that blood and water will not flow together.”

India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan following the April Pahalgam terror attack. Under the treaty, India retained rights over the eastern rivers, while Pakistan got control of the Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum, with India allowed limited use for hydroelectricity. Prime Minister Modi recently criticised Nehru’s handling of the treaty, calling it overly generous.

Pakistan’s objections

Pakistan has long objected to Indian hydro projects on western rivers, especially the Chenab. With India now actively developing multiple large projects, including Sawalkote, Ratle, Kiru, and Pakal Dul, Islamabad fears reduced water flows and rising energy insecurity.

Experts say that for India, the Chenab River is now both an energy asset and a strategic tool. As the government eyes energy independence and water leverage, Pakistan’s concerns over its already strained water and power supplies are likely to grow.