India's development of several projects in Kashmir gives shock to Pakistan as..., suspension of Indus Waters Treaty...
Since the Indus Waters Treaty has been suspended, Pakistan has been continuously demanding the restoration of this treaty, but India's stand is clear, 'blood and water cannot flow together'. And India has further strengthened its stance and started working on accelerating the pace of hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir while Pakistan is currently battling floods. What is India's progress on hydropower projects?
India has started working on increasing the pace of hydropower projects already underway in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials say that the government is close to approving the design of two more projects in Jammu and Kashmir. This makes it clear that India is not ready to show any leniency in this matter, according to a report of Hindustan Times.
Work is being done to speed up several projects being built on Chenab river. This includes 1000 MW hydropower project at Pakal Dul, 624 MW at Kiru, 540 MW at Kwar and 850 MW hydropower project being built at Ratle. When will the projects be completed?
The dates of these projects being built on the Chenab river have been changed. The completion dates of all these were changed earlier. Quoting an official, Hindustan Times said that now these projects will be completed between May 2026 and July 2028.
The Ratle Power Project will be completed first. It will start by May 2026. This was confirmed by an official associated with this project. It is a joint venture of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited and Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation. What is Indus Waters Treaty?
Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is based on the distribution of water of six rivers of Indus water system. In this, water has been divided between India and Pakistan in the ratio of 80:20. In this treaty, Pakistan will get the water of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab which are called western rivers. Whereas the water of eastern rivers, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej will come in India's share.
Pakistan has raised objection on the design of four projects, especially regarding Ratle which is a run-on-river project being built on Jhelum. It is being prepared in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. However, India is not paying any heed to them.
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News18
7 hours ago
- News18
'A Historic Correction': LG Manoj Sinha Says Indus Treaty Termination Boost For J&K
Last Updated: India had put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance on April 23, as a non-military strike on Pakistan, after the Pahalgam terror attack. Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha on Monday said that the termination of Indus Waters Treaty was a historic correction done by the Narendra Modi as an immediate diplomatic strike against Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack in April this year. He said that the Treaty survived three major wars in the country, but the Centre decided that water and blood cannot flow together. 'When the Indus Waters Treaty was signed, even after that, the country fought 3 big wars — 1965, 1971, and 1999. Pakistan was the aggressor in all three wars. Even then, the country could not suspend the IWT. After the Pahalgam terror attack, the Modi Cabinet took the decision that water and blood cannot flow together, terror and talks cannot be held together," Sinha said while addressing an event. 'Termination of Indus Waters Treaty was a historic correction, and is a big boost for J&K," news agency PTI quoted him as saying. Earlier, he said that Pakistan has to face the consequences of its misdeeds against India. 'Pakistan is dependent on India's water for its 16 million hectares of land cultivation. 237 million people are dependent on this treaty. In coming years, this will affect Pakistan's economy. PM has said that Indian water will now help only India," news agency ANI quoted him as saying. 'In future, any terrorist act will be taken as a war on India. We are very close to achieving a terrorism-free J&K. The common Kashmiri is against this terrorism; Pakistan has killed many innocent Kashmiris," he added. A day after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, the government put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. India launched Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam attack. The operation went on for four days and was put on a pause only when Pakistan was brought on its knees and their DGMO requested a ceasefire on May 10. (With inputs from agencies) view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 15:58 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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Business Standard
10 hours ago
- Business Standard
J&K CM pushes for 2 key projects as IWT pause opens door for water storage
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, an open critic of the 1960 Indus-Water Treaty, is hopeful that the central government will give a go-ahead for the completion of the Tulbul Navigation project in Kashmir and the diversion of Chenab River water to alleviate Jammu's water scarcity. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror strike on April 22 that killed 26 people, mainly tourists, the Centre announced a slew of measures against Pakistan for supporting terror groups and waging a proxy war against India. It included keeping the 1960 Indus-Water Treaty in abeyance. According to the treaty, India has unrestricted access to the waters of the eastern rivers -- Sutlej, Beas and Ravi -- amounting to around 33 million acre-feet (MAF) annually, while Pakistan receives the majority of the water from the western rivers -- the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab --totalling around 135 MAF annually. In an interview to PTI recently, Chief Minister Abdullah said that while the benefits of a full reversal of the IWT will take time, his government is focusing on medium-term projects that can begin immediately. Abdullah has been vociferously opposing the treaty since he was the Minister of State of External Affairs, saying that the 1960 agreement was the "most unfair document" ever imposed on the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He described the IWT as a document that "essentially denied Jammu and Kashmir the opportunity to store water" and forced all power projects to be "run of the river". "We can't suddenly build power projects and start storing water," Abdullah said and acknowledged the long-term nature of such undertakings. "It will take time before the benefits of the Indus water treaty start flowing to us." However, he highlighted two specific projects that he believes need to be taken up "immediately" -- which include the revival of the Tulbul navigation barrage in Sopore. This project, he explained, would not only enable the use of the Jhelum River for navigation but also "enable us to generate more electricity" in winter for all our downstream power projects, including Lower Jhelum and Uri hydroelectric projects. The suggestion from the Jammu and Kashmir government to the Centre was to build drop gates at the Tulbul Navigation Project, also known as Wullar Barrage, located on the boundary of Bandipora and Sopore, so that the water level in the Jhelum River could be managed properly. Work on the project was expedited by India following the Uri terror attack in 2016. This initiative was initially suspended in 1987 due to Pakistani objections. Despite India's efforts to resolve the issue, Pakistan declined to engage in discussions during five meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission held between 2017 and 2022. The barrage would also be especially effective in reducing the flow of water during the flood season in the Union territory. The Tulbul project was conceived in 1986 so as to enable year-round flow of water in the Wular Lake for commercial and tourism purposes, which in turn would generate employment in Kashmir. India opposed the Pakistani stand against the barrage, saying that construction of the Tulbul does not violate the treaty since the project is not a storage facility for either drinking water or irrigation but falls into the category of a regulating structure on water flows for non-consumptive use. The second project is a vital water-lifting scheme from Akhnoor to provide a sustainable source of water for Jammu city, which is facing "increasing water shortages". The chief minister said that Chenab is an ideal source, and this project could "feed Jammu for the next two to three decades". When asked if a formal proposal had been submitted to the Centre, the chief minister confirmed that "we have already had the conversation" and added that a senior advisor to the Prime Minister had recently visited the region to review these specific projects linked to the IWT. The advisor's visit, Abdullah noted, signifies that the Centre may give its nod for the projects to move forward. The second short-term suggestion was about lifting water from the Chenab River to ensure a better supply for people in Jammu, the six-month winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu city lies on the banks of the Tawi river, which divides the old city on its eastern bank from the new on the west. The Tawi flows from Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistani Punjab, eventually merging with the Chenab River. The JK government has sought approval to engage an international funding agency for the Chenab Water Supply Scheme, aimed at lifting drinking water from the river and supplying it in different areas of the Jammu district to meet the rising water requirements of the town. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India.com
10 hours ago
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Asim Munir For President? Why India Should Be Watching Pakistan's Power Shuffle Closely
From Lahore to Karachi, political circles and common citizens alike are abuzz with speculation: is Pakistan's powerful Army Chief, General Asim Munir, planning to become the country's next President? Reports in some Pakistani media suggest that Munir is exploring constitutional changes to remove current President Asif Ali Zardari — father of PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto — and potentially install himself in the top civilian post. Why Is Munir Eyeing Presidency? While military interference in Pakistan's civilian affairs is hardly new, Munir's move raises deeper questions. Analysts believe the army wants tighter control over the political narrative, especially after recent friction with Bilawal Bhutto, who openly criticised Munir's war-mongering statements following India's Operation Sindoor. The army reportedly expected Bilawal to amplify anti-India rhetoric during his foreign visits, but instead, he diplomatically stuck to the Indus Waters Treaty — defying the military's agenda. Rising Tensions Between PPP-Military This defiance has widened the rift between the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the military. Zardari's position as President has become a pressure point, with speculation that removing him would also weaken Bilawal's political standing. The friction intensified after Bilawal gave a controversial interview stating that if India provides intelligence on Masood Azhar's whereabouts, Pakistan would consider arresting him — a statement that upset both the military and terror networks with known ties to the army. Extradition Dilemma Although there's no formal extradition treaty between India and Pakistan, international law includes a principle called "Double Criminality" — which allows extradition if the accused is wanted in both countries for the same crime. Hafiz Saeed, for instance, faces trial in Pakistan for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and has also been convicted in the U.S. for related terrorism charges. Similarly, Masood Azhar is accused in Pakistan of plotting ex-dictator Pervez Musharraf's assassination. These overlapping legal cases mean that extradition isn't impossible — and recent signals from the Pakistani government have made terror-linked factions and Munir's circle uneasy. Munir - De Facto Leader? Despite PM Shehbaz Sharif dismissing the speculation about Munir's presidential ambitions, history paints a different picture. Munir was recently elevated to Field Marshal, a rare honour last conferred on Ayub Khan, who also transitioned from military chief to President-dictator. Munir, too, holds a resume filled with powerful postings — from DG ISI to Army Chief — and his high-profile solo visits to key nations such as Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Iran suggest a man positioning himself at the global forefront, with or without civilian endorsement. What This Means for India A Pakistan led by Field Marshal Munir — either officially or from behind the scenes — would be deeply militarised, potentially escalating tensions with New Delhi. India already sees Munir as the architect of the recent Pahalgam terror attack, a staunch supporter of the two-nation theory, and someone who has publicly referred to Kashmir as Pakistan's 'jugular vein.' His rise could mean tougher rhetoric, aggressive posturing on Kashmir, and tighter coordination between the military and terror proxies. The Bottom Line Whether or not Munir becomes President, his growing dominance in Pakistan's power structure is undeniable. And for India, a military-first Pakistan under Munir's shadow is a clear red flag — both diplomatically and on the security front.
