India’s Water Projects in IIOJK Violate IWT, Threaten Regional Stability

India’s construction of new dams in the disputed region of Ladakh poses a serious threat to Pakistan’s water supply and regional peace, prompting experts to call for urgent international intervention.

India has initiated construction on four new dam projects in the Ladakh region of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), raising serious concerns over water diversion from the Indus River into Pakistan. This development, experts warn, could violate international agreements and destabilize an already fragile South Asian region.

This alarming situation was highlighted by water expert Engineer Arshad H. Abbasi in a letter addressed to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

In his letter, Abbasi noted that India’s latest hydroelectric ventures in Achinathang, Sanjak, Pharphila, Batalik, and Khaltse are part of a broader master plan to manipulate water flows in Ladakh. These projects, he asserted, directly violate the Indus Waters Treaty—a long-standing water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank in 1960.

While the treaty allows India limited use of water in the region—up to 0.25 million acre-feet for general and power use—India has already exceeded these limits through previously constructed dams such as the 45MW Nimoo Bazgo and 44MW Chutak projects.

Abbasi alleged that the real motive behind these dams is to supply energy to Indian military forces stationed in glacial areas like Siachen. He pointed out the irony that while the military benefits from these developments, the local population in Ladakh continues to face extreme winter conditions with limited access to basic utilities.

He warned that India’s actions are not only about resource control but also an attempt to damage the historical and cultural foundation of the Indus Valley Civilization, which has long relied on uninterrupted river flows.

The international community is beginning to take notice. The well-known global publication The Diplomat cautioned India that any move to undermine or suspend the Indus Waters Treaty could trigger retaliation from China. China controls the flow of the Brahmaputra River, which provides 30% of India’s water and 44% of its hydropower resources.

China is already building massive dams on the Brahmaputra, and further provocation could escalate tensions, creating a broader water conflict in the region.

Adding to the debate, World Bank President Ajay Banga recently clarified that the Indus Waters Treaty cannot be unilaterally altered or terminated. Any change must be agreed upon by both India and Pakistan, reaffirming the treaty’s legal and diplomatic standing.

Abbasi urged the United Nations to step in immediately to protect the spirit of the Indus Waters Treaty. He called on the global community to hold India accountable for its water aggression in Kashmir and to prevent further damage to regional harmony and the environment.