India Pushes Chenab Projects Amid Indus Treaty Review

Context

India is pressing for the speedy development of over 5,000 MW of hydropower projects on the Chenab River and demanding a complete renegotiation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). New Delhi considers the 60-year-old agreement as suspended and not operational till Pakistan completely and honestly eliminates cross-border terrorism.

Background and Context

• Suspension of IWT: India suspended the 1960 water-sharing agreement after the attack in Pahalgam, meaning institutional mechanisms such as the Permanent Indus Commission became inactive.
• Core Indian Stance: New Delhi contends that the original treaty was no longer relevant; it was not a true reflection of the geopolitical realities today and we need a balanced, structurally edited framework.
• The Terror Condition: India insists on a permanent cessation of state sponsored terror for cross-border terror and bilateral water cooperation to normalize or renegotiate.

Focus on Chenab Basin Hydropower

• Accelerated Portfolio: India is fast-tracking five major run-of-the-river projects on the Chenab River, with a combined capacity of 4,870 MW (exceeding 5,000 MW with additions).
• Key Projects in Play:
  • Sawalkote Project: 1,856 MW capacity at clearance and pre-construction stage.
  • Pakal Dul Project: Under construction with 1000 MW capacity.
  • Ratle Project: 850/624 MW tier, historically subject to design disputes.
  • Kiru & Kwar Projects: 624 MW and 540 MW respectively being championed through an Inter-Ministerial Task Force.
• Engineering Practices: At existing dams such as Salal and Baglihar, India has scheduled the sediment flushing and reservoir management in a systematic manner for improved efficiency by following accepted international practices, not to divert water maliciously downstream.

Legal and Strategic Dimensions of Renegotiation

• Treaty Modification Rules: As per Article XII of IWT, only formal ratification of a bilateral Treaty between India and Pakistan can lead to modification or termination.
• Dispute Rejections: India has rejected third-party decisions – including those of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague – as illegally constituted, while the treaty remains suspended.
• Strategic Leverage: India aims to have its full non-consumptive and hydropower rights in western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) as a strategic stance to ensure that it maximises clean energy production and demonstrates strategic intent.

Source: The Indian Express

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Q. Consider the following hydroelectric projects: 

1. Dulhasti
2. Salal
3. Ratle
4. Pakal Dul

How many of the above projects are located/constructed on the Chenab River or its direct tributary?

(A) Only one
(B) Only two
(C) Only three
(D) All four

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