In a significant move following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960, India has undertaken full-scale flushing operations at its Salal and Baglihar hydroelectric projects on the Chenab River for the first time. The process, aimed at desilting, marks a notable policy shift after decades of treaty-bound water-sharing with Pakistan.
The Salal (690 MW) and Baglihar (900 MW) dams, located in Jammu and Kashmir, began desilting over the weekend, involving temporary curtailment of Chenab’s flow to allow reservoirs to fill to capacity. Officials confirmed that the flushing operation, which typically spans several days, is being executed as per technical requirements and now falls entirely within India’s sovereign rights post-IWT.
The Chenab River, originating near the Baralacha Pass in Himachal Pradesh—where it is also called Chandrabhaga—flows westward and joins the Indus River at Mithankot in Pakistan. Under the IWT, Pakistan had long objected to such full flushing exercises, citing potential downstream impact. However, with the treaty no longer binding, India has asserted greater control over the river's use.
In a first since the Indus Waters Treaty became non-binding, India has initiated full flushing operations at Salal and Baglihar dams on the Chenab River, a move previously opposed by Pakistan.
The move comes amid rising geopolitical tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians. India has since taken several punitive diplomatic and strategic measures, including the suspension of key bilateral agreements.
Hydropower experts say desilting is critical to maintain the operational efficiency and life span of dam reservoirs, particularly in silt-heavy Himalayan rivers. By proceeding with the flushing, India signals both a shift in its water diplomacy and a firm assertion of its riparian rights.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)