SRINAGAR: In a significant diplomatic signal following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, India has sharply curtailed the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River, citing both operational reasons and a hardening political posture against Pakistan. The sluice gates of the reservoir, which were opened for de-silting two days ago, have now been closed to retain water, temporarily choking off the supply downstream into Pakistan’s Punjab region.
The move comes amidst India’s decision to put the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance. Traditionally, India has notified Pakistan about such reservoir operations through a formal mechanism under the 1960 World Bank-brokered treaty. But with that protocol now suspended in the wake of the April 22 attack, officials said no such communication was deemed necessary this time.
“Even if the choke is for a short while, we demonstrate that we will take coercive steps… Pakistan needs to realise we mean to punish them on all fronts,” a senior official told The Indian Express. He added that similar measures are under consideration at the Kishanganga hydroelectric dam on the Jhelum River in north Kashmir.
Baglihar Dam, located in Ramban district of Jammu, has long been a point of diplomatic friction between India and Pakistan. Designed as a run-of-the-river project with a reservoir capacity of 475 million cubic metres, it is modest in size—about twenty times smaller than the Bhakra Dam in Himachal Pradesh. But its real significance lies in its ability to regulate the timing and volume of water releases downstream.
While the recent closure of the gates has a political overtone, officials pointed out that the immediate trigger was a routine de-silting operation. The Baglihar reservoir, which powers a 900-megawatt hydroelectric plant, experiences sediment build-up due to the fragile geological make-up of the surrounding hills, made up of weathered and fissile rocks such as shale, phyllite and slate.
Ordinarily, such operations are conducted during the monsoon in August, when high inflows allow for quick refilling of the reservoir. However, this year’s de-silting took place unusually early. According to Central Electricity Authority data, Baglihar Phase I generated 2,707 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity last year, 104 per cent of its target, while Phase II generated 1,535 GWh (102 per cent of target), underscoring how vital full reservoir levels are to power output.
With the sluice gates now closed, the Chenab riverbed downstream—especially around Ramban, Akhnoor and parts of Reasi—has begun to dry up, prompting concerns in Pakistan, which depends on the river’s waters for irrigation in its Punjab province. Officials familiar with the matter said the flow reduction was a “short-term punitive action” but left open the possibility of more sustained measures if tensions escalate.
India is also reportedly examining long-term plans to divert Chenab waters for domestic agricultural use. Proposals are being explored to build a new canal from Akhnoor to serve parts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, and to upgrade the old Partap Canal system to extend irrigation to tail-end villages in Pargwal, Gharota and Kot Bhalwal.
The decision to flex control over Indus River tributaries marks a shift in India’s strategic use of water as a diplomatic tool, after decades of strict adherence to the IWT. With the treaty effectively frozen and cross-border trust at a low point, the Baglihar choke could represent the opening move in a broader recalibration of water-sharing with Pakistan.
