WATER has long been a source of cooperation as well as conflict, but rarely has it been so openly turned into a weapon as is now being witnessed on the Chenab River.
India’s recent actions fast-tracking massive hydropower projects, manipulating river flows and unilaterally declaring the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) to be in abeyance represent a grave and dangerous escalation. This deliberate weaponization of water, threatens not only Pakistan’s water security but also the broader peace and stability of an already volatile region.
At the centre of this troubling strategy is India’s aggressive push to build and expand large hydropower projects on the Chenab River in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. The Sawalkote Hydropower Project, one of the largest on the river, alongside Dulhasti Stage-II and a series of existing and under-construction dams such as Baglihar, Ratle, Kiru, Kwar and others, reflects a clear intent to assert control over river systems that do not legally belong to India. Even more alarming is India’s manipulation of river flows, particularly during the winter season. The sudden release of unusually high volumes of water, followed by drastic reductions far below historical norms, is not a technical coincidence but a calculated act. Such actions disrupt downstream irrigation systems, threaten food security and undermine Pakistan’s ability to manage its own water resources. These actions strike at the very foundation of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, a landmark agreement that has survived wars and decades of hostility. Under the IWT, Pakistan has control over the waters of the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers, while India retains rights over the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers. This division is clear, internationally guaranteed and legally binding. India’s current behaviour is a blatant violation of the treaty and cannot be brushed aside as a technical disagreement or an internal development choice. Pakistan has rightly and firmly stated that it will not compromise on its water rights. Water is a matter of survival, economic stability and national security. Any attempt to block, divert or manipulate Pakistan’s rightful share is bound to inflame tensions and could have far-reaching consequences. The international community must not act as a silent spectator. Global powers, international institutions and treaty guarantors have a moral and legal obligation to step in, hold India accountable and force it to adhere strictly to the Indus Waters Treaty. By choosing to weaponize water, India is destabilizing the region and undermining one of the few enduring frameworks of cooperation in South Asia. Water must remain a source of life and cooperation not a tool of coercion and conflict.
