Indus treaty in abeyance, India fast-tracks four Chenab hydropower projects with tight deadlines

In a clear signal of intent, the Centre has directed authorities to fast-track four major hydropower projects on the Chenab river system, according to a report from News18.

Officials cited in the report say that they have been instructed to commission the Pakal Dul and Kiru projects by December 2026, complete the Kwar project by March 2028, and speed up construction of the strategically sensitive Ratle dam.

The push followed a two-day ground inspection by Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who reviewed progress at multiple dam sites in Jammu and Kashmir and stressed that deadlines will now be strictly enforced.

Why the Chenab matters

The stakes extend far beyond power generation. The Chenab is part of the Indus basin, which is critical to Pakistan’s water security. Nearly three-fourths of Pakistan’s water originates from the western rivers flowing from India. Over ninety percent of Pakistan’s agriculture depends on this basin, and most of its dams and canals are built around it. In effect, the vast majority of Pakistan’s population relies on water that first passes through Indian territory, making every development on the Chenab closely watched across the border.

Pakal Dul: the centrepiece

The most significant project is the Pakal Dul hydropower project in Kishtwar. With a capacity of one thousand megawatts, it is the largest project in the Chenab basin and, at 167 metres, the highest dam in India. It is also India’s first storage project on a western river flowing into Pakistan. Built on a tributary of the Chenab and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2018, Pakal Dul has taken on added importance with the Indus Waters Treaty effectively in abeyance. Once commissioned by December 2026, it will allow India not only to generate power but also to regulate the timing of water flows, a long-standing concern for Pakistan.

Kiru and Kwar projects

Running alongside Pakal Dul is the Kiru project, also in Kishtwar district. The 135-metre-high Kiru dam is a run-of-the-river project, but its strategic relevance lies in its position within a chain of projects on the Chenab. The Centre has set the same December 2026 deadline for Kiru, signalling that both projects are expected to come online together.

The third project, Kwar, is another run-of-the-river dam on the Chenab with a height of 109 metres. A key engineering milestone was reached in January 2024 when the river was successfully diverted to enable construction, a development closely monitored in Pakistan. The Centre has now fixed March 2028 as the commissioning deadline.

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Ratle and Dulhasti Stage-2

The Ratle project remains the most contentious. The 850-megawatt project involves a 133-metre-high dam on the Chenab and has faced objections from Pakistan for years, particularly over its spillway design. During his recent visit, the Power Minister laid the foundation stone for the dam’s concreting works, signalling that Ratle is being fast-tracked. The river was diverted through tunnels for the project in 2024, and the dam is expected to be ready by 2028.

Beyond these projects, India is also advancing Dulhasti Stage-2 on the Chenab. The project received clearance from the Environment Ministry’s panel last December and will be taken up after Dulhasti-I, which is already operational. Pakistan has objected to this clearance as well, claiming it was not informed, an assertion India has rejected.