India has moved decisively to fast-track four major hydropower projects on the Chenab river system in Jammu and Kashmir, a step that has important strategic implications for Pakistan’s water supply. The Centre has issued clear and firm directions to ensure strict timelines for completion, signalling that delays will no longer be tolerated.

According to officials, the Pakal Dul and Kiru hydropower projects have been directed to be commissioned by December 2026, the Kwar project must be completed by March 2028, and construction work on the Ratle dam has been ordered to be accelerated. These instructions were given after Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar conducted a two-day ground inspection of several dam sites in Jammu and Kashmir. During the visit, the minister reviewed progress and underlined that the set deadlines would be “strictly enforced”.

While the projects are officially meant to boost power generation, their importance goes far beyond electricity. The Chenab River is part of the Indus basin, which is critical for Pakistan. Nearly three-fourths of Pakistan’s water comes from the western rivers flowing from India. Over 90 per cent of Pakistan’s agriculture depends on this basin, and almost the entire canal and dam network in the country is built around it. In effect, nearly nine out of ten Pakistanis depend on water that originates in Indian Territory. This reality explains why developments on the Chenab are closely watched in Pakistan.

The most significant of the four projects is the Pakal Dul hydropower project in Kishtwar district. With a capacity of 1,000 MW, it is the largest hydropower project in the Chenab basin. At 167 metres, it is also the highest dam in India. Importantly, Pakal Dul is India’s first storage project on a western river that flows into Pakistan. Built on a tributary of the Chenab, the project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2018. With the Indus Waters Treaty effectively in abeyance, the Centre has now ordered that Pakal Dul be commissioned by December 2026. Once operational, the project will allow India not only to generate electricity but also to regulate the timing of water flows, a capability that Pakistan has long been concerned about.

Alongside Pakal Dul, the Kiru project, also located in Kishtwar, is being pushed on the same timeline. The Kiru dam stands 135 metres high on the Chenab and is classified as a run-of-the-river project. Officials point out that its strategic value lies in how it fits into a chain of projects both upstream and downstream on the river. The Centre has set December 2026 as the deadline for Kiru as well, making it clear that both projects are expected to become operational together.

The third major project is the Kwar hydropower project, another run-of-the-river dam on the Chenab, with a height of 109 metres. A key engineering milestone was achieved in January 2024, when the Chenab River was successfully diverted to allow construction work to proceed. This diversion was closely monitored in Pakistan. The Centre has now directed that Kwar be commissioned by March 2028, fixing a firm completion date.

The Ratle project is considered the most contentious among the four. The 850 MW project involves a 133-metre-high dam on the Chenab and has been opposed by Pakistan for several years, particularly over the design of its spillways. During his recent visit, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar laid the foundation stone for the dam’s concreting works, clearly signalling that Ratle is now being fast-tracked. The Chenab was diverted through tunnels for this project in 2024, and the dam is expected to be ready by 2028.

Beyond these projects, India is also moving ahead with Dulhasti Stage-2 on the Chenab. The project received clearance from the Environment Ministry’s panel in December last year and will be developed after Dulhasti-I, which is already operational. Pakistan has objected to this clearance, claiming it was not informed, an argument that India has firmly rejected.

Together, these developments mark a significant shift, with India turning long-discussed strategy into action on the ground in the Chenab basin.