When India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in April this year after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Pakistan was not only shocked but burst with verbal rhetoric. It warned India that if no water, then blood will flow in the Chenab. However, India has remained firm and is now planning the biggest water strike against Pakistan. After nearly 40 years in limbo, India is gearing up to revive one of its most ambitious hydroelectric ventures — the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir. The Union Environment Ministry’s expert appraisal committee on river valley and hydropower projects has recently recommended the project for environmental clearance, marking a major breakthrough in India’s water strategy along its western frontier, reported the Indian Express.
The 1,865 MW project, being developed by NHPC Ltd, is slated to become one of the largest hydroelectric plants on the west-flowing Chenab. Once completed, it will significantly boost India’s capacity to utilize the river water for its own benefits.
A Project Four Decades in the Making
Originally conceived in 1984, the Sawalkote project faced multiple hurdles — from environmental concerns and seismic risks to political sensitivities linked to the Indus basin. The renewed clearance marks a decisive policy shift.
The project design features a 192.5-metre-high concrete gravity dam, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 530 million cubic metres, spread across 1,159 hectares. The project will be executed in two stages — Stage I with an installed capacity of 1,406 MW, followed by Stage II adding another 450 MW.
Reports say construction could begin as early as 2026, once all clearances and land acquisition processes are finalized. The estimated cost is projected to exceed Rs 20,000 crore, with NHPC expected to handle both construction and operation.
Strategic Importance
The renewed urgency around Sawalkote follows India’s decision to put the Indus Waters Treaty “in abeyance” after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025. The 1960 Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, grants Pakistan control over the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while India retains rights over the Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej.
However, the treaty allows India limited rights to build run-of-the-river projects on the western rivers for hydroelectric power generation — rights New Delhi is now keen to fully exercise. The Union Home Ministry has described the project as of ‘strategic importance’, saying swift implementation was ‘essential for leveraging the Chenab river’s potential’ given the ‘current geopolitical scenario’.
Hydropower Hub In Making
The Chenab basin already hosts several major hydropower projects, making it a core zone of India’s energy and strategic planning in Jammu and Kashmir. Among them are:
* Dulhasti Project (390 MW) in Kishtwar
* Baglihar Project (890 MW) in Ramban
* Salal Project (690 MW) in Reasi
Together, these projects have turned the Chenab into a key pillar of India’s renewable energy infrastructure, as well as a strategic counterweight in regional water politics.
Experts note that once operational, Sawalkote will double India’s hydropower generation from the Chenab, allowing better water regulation and flood control. It is also expected to provide thousands of local jobs and enhance energy reliability in northern India.
New Phase in India’s Water Diplomacy
For India, the revival of Sawalkote is more than an infrastructure project — it represents a strategic assertion of hydrological rights under the Indus Waters Treaty framework. As the country seeks to strengthen its renewable energy portfolio and reinforce its stance in water diplomacy with Pakistan, the Chenab River could soon become both a symbol of energy resilience and a tool of strategic leverage. It will also enable India a greater capacity to hold Chenab water, thus hurting Pakistan.