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Two crucial water projects in Jammu and Kashmir to move forward after Indus treaty suspension

February 10, 2026 6 min read International Relations Geography Polity & Governance GS2 (International Relations Polity) GS1 (Geography) GS3 (Water Resources)
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What Happened

  • Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the Legislative Assembly that work on two long-pending water projects will begin soon following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
  • The two projects are: the Tulbul Navigation Barrage on the Jhelum river near Sopore (Kashmir), and a scheme to lift water from the Chenab river near Akhnoor for supply to Jammu city.
  • India put the IWT in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, effectively removing the treaty constraints that had blocked these projects for decades.
  • Abdullah has long described the IWT as the "most unfair treaty," arguing it disadvantaged J&K's people by restraining the region from storing river waters and allowing only run-of-the-river hydroelectric projects.
  • The Tulbul project, conceived in the early 1980s, was suspended in 1987 following objections from Pakistan.

Static Topic Bridges

Indus Waters Treaty (1960)

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed on September 19, 1960, by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistani President Ayub Khan, with the World Bank as a mediator and guarantor. It is considered one of the most enduring water-sharing agreements in the world, having survived two wars and numerous crises between the two countries.

  • Division of rivers: Three Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) allocated to India; three Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) allocated to Pakistan
  • India received approximately 20% of the total water carried by the Indus system; Pakistan received approximately 80%
  • India may use the Western Rivers for limited purposes: domestic use, non-consumptive use (run-of-the-river hydroelectric projects), and limited agricultural use as specified in Annexures C, D, and E of the Treaty
  • The Treaty established a Permanent Indus Commission, with one Commissioner from each country, mandated to meet annually
  • Dispute resolution: a three-tier mechanism — questions resolved by the Commission; failing which, a Neutral Expert; failing which, a Court of Arbitration
  • India suspended the Treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack (April 22, 2025), invoking the fundamental change of circumstances doctrine

Connection to this news: The Treaty's restrictions on India's use of the Western Rivers (Jhelum, Chenab) had directly prevented both the Tulbul Navigation Barrage (on the Jhelum) and the Chenab water-lifting scheme. The suspension removes these constraints, at least temporarily, enabling India to proceed with projects on the Western Rivers that Pakistan had blocked.

Tulbul Navigation Project (Wular Barrage)

The Tulbul Navigation Project was conceived in the early 1980s as a navigation lock-cum-control structure at the mouth of Wular Lake near Sopore on the Jhelum river in North Kashmir. Wular Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia. The project aimed to regulate water levels to enable year-round navigation on a 20-km stretch between Baramulla and Sopore.

  • Construction began in November 1984; suspended on October 2, 1987, following Pakistan's objections
  • Original design: a 439-feet-long and 40-feet-wide barrage with a storage capacity of 0.30 million acre-feet
  • Objectives: regulate winter water flow in the Jhelum, ensure minimum draft of 4.4 feet for navigation, enhance winter hydroelectric power generation
  • Wular Lake is located in Bandipora district, Kashmir — a Ramsar Wetland Site (designated in 1990)
  • India's position: the project is permissible under paragraphs 7(c) and 9 of Annexure E of the IWT
  • Pakistan's position: the project constitutes a violation of the Treaty if storage exceeds 10,000 acre-feet for non-power-generation purposes
  • The project was also proposed to the Asian Development Bank, which did not permit it due to IWT constraints

Connection to this news: The revival of the Tulbul project after nearly four decades of dormancy is a direct consequence of India's decision to suspend the IWT. The project has significant economic potential for Kashmir — enabling winter navigation, flood control through Wular Lake regulation, and enhanced hydroelectric output.

Chenab River and Water Supply Infrastructure

The Chenab is one of the three Western Rivers under the IWT allocated to Pakistan. It originates from the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers at Tandi in Himachal Pradesh and flows through Jammu before entering Pakistan. Under the IWT, India's use of Chenab waters was restricted to run-of-the-river hydroelectric projects and limited domestic/agricultural use.

  • Length: approximately 960 km; one of the major tributaries of the Indus
  • Major hydroelectric projects on the Chenab: Salal Dam (690 MW, commissioned 1987), Dul Hasti (390 MW, commissioned 2007), Baglihar Dam (900 MW, Phase I 2008, Phase II 2015), Pakal Dul (1,000 MW, under construction), Kiru (624 MW, under construction)
  • Baglihar Dam was the subject of a major India-Pakistan dispute; the Neutral Expert (Raymond Lafitte) ruled largely in India's favour in 2007
  • Jammu city currently draws water from the Tawi River, whose capacity is insufficient for the fast-growing population
  • The proposed Chenab Water Supply Scheme would lift water from the Chenab near Akhnoor to supply Jammu city, addressing the long-term (30-40 year) water demand

Connection to this news: The Chenab water-lifting project for Jammu city represents a direct utilisation of Western River waters for domestic supply — a use that was constrained by treaty provisions requiring water to flow unrestricted to Pakistan. The IWT suspension enables India to pursue this project for urban water security.

India's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty in April 2025 marked the first time a party formally invoked abeyance of this 65-year-old treaty. Under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT, 1969), treaty suspension can be justified under specific grounds, including material breach by the other party or a fundamental change of circumstances (rebus sic stantibus, Article 62 VCLT).

  • India invoked the suspension following the Pahalgam terror attack (April 22, 2025), linking Pakistan's alleged support for terrorism to treaty obligations
  • Article 62 of the VCLT allows treaty suspension when there is a fundamental change of circumstances that was not foreseen by the parties and constitutes an essential basis of their consent
  • India is not a party to the VCLT (signed but not ratified), though many VCLT provisions are considered customary international law
  • The World Bank, as guarantor of the Treaty, has not formally responded to the suspension
  • Historically, India had considered but refrained from using the Treaty as leverage — the IWT survived the 1965 and 1971 wars and the 2001-02 military standoff

Connection to this news: The J&K water projects represent the first concrete infrastructure outcomes of the Treaty suspension, transforming a legal and diplomatic act into tangible development benefits for the region.

Key Facts & Data

  • Indus Waters Treaty: signed September 19, 1960; suspended by India in April 2025
  • Eastern Rivers (India): Ravi, Beas, Sutlej; Western Rivers (Pakistan): Indus, Jhelum, Chenab
  • Water allocation: India ~20%, Pakistan ~80% of the Indus system
  • Tulbul Navigation Project: conceived early 1980s, construction started 1984, suspended 1987
  • Tulbul design: 439-feet-long barrage, 0.30 million acre-feet storage capacity
  • Wular Lake: one of Asia's largest freshwater lakes, Ramsar site since 1990
  • Chenab river length: approximately 960 km
  • Trigger for IWT suspension: Pahalgam terror attack (April 22, 2025)