India's mega dam plan rattles Pakistan after IWT suspension, Islamabad issues threat

File photo used for representation (AFP)

• Pakistan accuses India of violating Indus Waters Treaty with Sawalkote dam.
• India says Sawalkote hydro project on Chenab is within its developmental rights
• Sawalkote dam to generate 1,856 MW, construction may take around nine years

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Pakistan has reacted sharply to India’s decision to move ahead with the Rs 5,129 crore Sawalkote hydroelectric project on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir, accusing New Delhi of violating its international treaty obligations and pursuing what it described as a “dewatering policy” against Islamabad.

According to a report in CNN-News18, India has begun work on the Sawalkote mega dam project after pausing the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) last year as a punitive measure for the Pahalgam terror attack.

Pakistan has vowed to challenge the move, calling it a breach of the 1960 treaty, while India has maintained that the project falls within its developmental rights.

Responding to questions on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the project is being pursued based on India’s own interpretation.

“Any development project that happens in India is based on our understanding. That is how we look at this particular project,” the MEA said.

According to News18, Pakistani officials have expressed grave concerns that the Sawalkote project is part of a broader “dewatering” strategy designed to deprive Pakistan of critical water resources from the western rivers allocated under the IWT framework.

Pakistan has consistently attacked India over the last year after it put the IWT in abeyance, describing the move as "water terrorism".

The Pakistan foreign office has formally sought consultations and information regarding the project, saying that the matter has been raised at the level of the Indus water commissioners.

Pakistan’s Indus water commissioner reportedly issued letters in July and as recently as February 11 to the Indian counterpart, seeking information and consultations mandated under the treaty, News18 reported.

Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for Pakistan’s foreign office, said the IWT remains a “binding international instrument” and cannot be unilaterally altered.

“Pakistan reiterates that the Indus Waters Treaty remains a binding international instrument, consistent with the decisions of court of arbitration of June and August 2025 and we also remain engaged with it,” Andrabi said. “No unilateral actions or defiance can alter this legal reality.”

Andrabi added that Pakistan would challenge India’s actions through international legal mechanisms and forums, calling for strict adherence to the treaty.

He described the issue as one concerning the “existential water right” of Pakistan’s population, noting that nearly three-quarters of the country’s water originates from western rivers such as the Chenab.

What is Sawalkote project?

The Sawalkote project is being developed by NHPC Ltd at an estimated cost of Rs 5,129 crore. It is located across the Udhampur and Ramban districts of Jammu and Kashmir. It is positioned on the Chenab river between the Baglihar project upstream and the Salal project downstream.

The hydropower project is designed with a total installed capacity of 1,856 MW, split into Stage I (1,406 MW) and Stage II (450 MW). It has been classified as a “run of the river” project. Documents accessed by News18 indicate that construction could take around nine years, though the central government is reportedly pushing for early commissioning.

The Sawalkote dam is seen as the first major new project to be cleared after the abrogation or suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty framework.