With summer approaching, Pakistan’s water concerns may deepen as India moves closer to stopping the flow of surplus water from the Ravi river into its neighbour. The development comes months after New Delhi placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, marking a major shift in water-sharing arrangements between the two countries.
Jammu and Kashmir minister Javed Ahmed Rana said the long-pending Shahpur Kandi dam project on the Punjab–Jammu and Kashmir border is nearing completion and is expected to be operational by March 31. Once functional, the dam will allow India to divert excess Ravi waters for use in Punjab and the drought-prone Kathua and Samba districts instead of letting them flow downstream into Pakistan through Madhopur. The minister said stopping surplus water was necessary to address irrigation needs in the Kandi belt, which frequently faces water scarcity.
The Shahpur Kandi project was first envisaged in 1979, with its foundation stone laid in 1982. However, construction was stalled for decades due to disputes between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir before being declared a national project in 2008. Built at a cost of over ₹3,300 crore, the 55.5-metre-high dam includes a 7.7-kilometre hydel channel and is expected to significantly expand irrigation coverage in both states.
Under the Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960, India has exclusive rights over the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers, while Pakistan controls the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. With the treaty currently in abeyance, India has accelerated several hydroelectric projects in the Indus basin. The move could have serious implications for Pakistan, where the Indus river system supports the majority of agricultural activity and water storage capacity remains limited.
