Ceasefire Violation Fallout: After Indus Treaty Suspension, India Halts Chenab River Flow via Baglihar Dam

Following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, India has taken a bold retaliatory step by suspending the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty and curbing water flow to Pakistan. Using the Baglihar Dam in Jammu’s Ramban region, India has blocked the flow of the Chenab River. This marks a significant escalation in India-Pakistan tensions, particularly as plans are underway to regulate water release through the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum River. The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, granted India control over the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers, while Pakistan had rights over the Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum. However, India retained rights for limited irrigation and power generation. The Baglihar Dam has long been a point of contention, with Pakistan frequently seeking international arbitration. The reduced flow from Chenab now poses a serious threat to Pakistan’s agriculture-dependent economy, which relies on the Indus system for 80% of its farmland. With the suspension of the treaty and regulation of water at critical dams, India has intensified its strategic pressure on Pakistan.

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