Pakistan Condemns 17 Indian Projects on Indus River as ‘Hydro-Hegemony Tools’ Amid Treaty Crisis

Pakistan has accused India of constructing at least 17 projects on Indus river systems that could enable “hydro-hegemony,” escalating tensions over the disputed Indus Waters Treaty.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar made the allegations on Thursday, positioning them against the backdrop of New Delhi’s unilateral suspension of the treaty in 2025 following a brief military conflict.

Dar’s remarks came amid heightened rhetoric from both sides, with Indian Water Minister CR Patil stating that New Delhi would ensure “not a single drop of water” flows into Pakistan, while Islamabad has warned that any disruption to cross-border waterways would constitute “an act of war.”

Speaking at a seminar titled “Transboundary Water Resources: A Weaponised Global Common” — jointly organized by Pakistan’s embassy in Brussels and the Centre for European Policy Studies — Dar emphasized that shared resources require cooperative frameworks to prevent weaponization.

“Otherwise, competing interests can turn them into sources of conflict and weaponisation,” he said, citing UN former secretary-general Kofi Annan: “Shared waters can be a pathway to peace and regional integration rather than a catalyst for war.”

Dar highlighted that Pakistan has consistently upheld the UN Charter and relevant resolutions, recalling how Islamabad signed the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty establishing governance of the six-river system. He noted the treaty’s resilience through three major conflicts and multiple challenges.

While Pakistan previously sought international resolution for treaty disputes through established mechanisms, Dar criticized India’s current approach: “Today, we find ourselves confronted with precisely such a challenge.”

The projects drawing criticism include Sawalkot, Kirthai, and Kwar hydroelectric developments on the Chenab River in occupied Kashmir, alongside expanded Baglihar and Salal facilities, and diversion projects affecting the Indus, Chenab, and Ravi rivers.

Dar warned that targeting 240 million people through restricted water access represents “a catastrophe in the making,” emphasizing that water must remain “a shared resource, a common responsibility and ultimately a prerequisite for human dignity.”

Pakistan’s foreign office recently denounced India’s proposed Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel project — aimed at diverting 1.9 million acre-feet of water annually — calling it “a grave violation” of the treaty and international law.

The dispute underscores broader concerns about treaty compliance, with the Permanent Court of Arbitration recently affirming that India cannot unilaterally suspend Indus Waters Treaty obligations.

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