Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah informed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that the state government is actively working with the Centre to restart two major projects that were previously stalled due to Pakistani objections under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The two initiatives in focus are the Tulbul Navigation Project (TNP) on the Jhelum and the lifting of water from the Chenab river near Akhnoor for Jammu city’s supply.

“We are working on two things… and I hope that work on both these projects will start soon,” Abdullah stated. The move comes in the wake of India putting the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance in May 2025. The Tulbul project, conceived over four decades ago, has a long history of diplomatic friction, but the current administration’s resolve signals a strategic shift in prioritizing regional development and water security over historical treaty constraints.