Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, prompting India to suspend the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). Beyond halting water flows to Pakistan, India is now accelerating stalled hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held multiple high-level meetings with security and military officials, while Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil are spearheading discussions to fast-track these initiatives. “This is about securing our resources for national progress,” a government source stated, signaling a bold strategic shift.

Signed in 1960 after years of negotiations, the IWT allocated 80% of the Indus basin’s western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab—to Pakistan, while India received full rights to the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—for unrestricted use. India was also granted limited rights to use western river waters for hydropower and irrigation, but new projects required six-month notices to Pakistan. With the treaty now in abeyance, India is free to revive projects like Sawalkot (1,856 MW), Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), and Ratle (850 MW), alongside others like Bursar, Kiru, and Kirthai. These could transform Jammu and Kashmir’s energy landscape and boost irrigation and drinking water supply in northern states.

The suspension has drawn international attention, with Pakistan threatening legal action at global forums, labeling India’s move a violation. Meanwhile, climate change adds urgency to revisiting the treaty. Noted glaciologist Anil V. Kulkarni, speaking to The Indian Express, highlighted that India’s eastern rivers hold only 5% of the basin’s glacier-stored water, far less than the 20% allocated. “The treaty’s framework is outdated,” Kulkarni argued, advocating for a scientific review to address shrinking water availability. As India pushes forward, the move signals not just a response to terrorism but a recalibration of resource control amid geopolitical and environmental challenges.