Chenab Runs Dry Near Pakistan: Strategic Water Moves Amid Tensions
India’s Diplomatic Use of the Indus Waters Treaty as a Pressure Tactic
CLAT Current Affairs 2026 | Geopolitics | Water Disputes | Treaty Law
best online coaching for CLAT, online coaching for CLAT, CLAT current affairs 2026, Indus Waters Treaty, Chenab River dispute, Baglihar Dam, India-Pakistan water relations
Why in News?
Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India has escalated its diplomatic and strategic response by suspending water flow through the Chenab River into Pakistan’s Punjab via the Baglihar Dam. While temporary, this punitive move signals India’s intention to leverage its rights under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) to apply diplomatic pressure on Pakistan.
This unprecedented step coincides with India’s formal suspension of the IWT and comes at a time when bilateral relations are severely strained. The move brings into focus the geostrategic power of water-sharing treaties, especially in conflict zones.
Point-Wise Summary for CLAT Aspirants
- Chenab River Flow Restricted
- Gates of Baglihar and Salal dams were temporarily closed to store water, cutting downstream flow into Pakistan.
- Move interpreted as short-term punitive action by India after the Pahalgam attack.
- Background: Baglihar and Salal Projects
- Both are run-of-the-river hydropower projects built by India on the Chenab River.
- Legally permissible under the Indus Waters Treaty, though previously challenged by Pakistan at the World Bank.
- Dam height and design were previously modified as part of dispute resolution.
- Indus Waters Treaty Suspension
- India had announced suspension of the IWT days earlier.
- IWT signed in 1960 gives Pakistan rights over western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab).
- Despite this, India retains limited rights to regulate and store water for specific uses like hydroelectricity.
- Diplomatic and Strategic Messaging
- “We mean to punish them on all fronts,” said an official quoted in the article.
- Even if temporary, the choke on water sends a message of coercive diplomacy.
- Impact on Pakistan’s Punjab
- Chenab irrigates large areas of farmland in Pakistani Punjab.
- Even a short-term reduction in flow can disrupt crop irrigation cycles.
- Water Storage and Release Timeline
- Dams had been desilted just before the stoppage.
- Officials monitored reservoir fill-up and adjusted water gate timings strategically.
- Domestic Alerts and Safety Concerns
- Local police in Jammu and Akhnoor warned people against crossing the dry riverbed, anticipating a sudden water-level rise.
- Fear of flooding if dam gates are opened quickly.
- Historical Context
- Residents recall that riverbed went dry only once before in 1992, and now again in 2025.
- The Karan bridge, originally built in 1933-34, was washed away earlier due to such water level variations.
- Rainwater Harvesting Measures
- India is investing in water storage and harvesting, reducing dependency on rivers and ensuring strategic control.
- Helps strengthen water diplomacy in conflict zones.
- Strategic Use of Water as a Weapon
- While India remains officially compliant with the treaty, these steps show how control over upstream flow can be used as a tactical measure in diplomacy.
- It highlights the intersection of environmental law, treaty obligations, and national security.
Glossary & Conceptual Clarifications for CLAT
Term | Explanation |
Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) | A 1960 treaty between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank, regulating water sharing of the Indus river system. |
Run-of-the-River Project | A hydroelectric power system using natural river flow with minimal reservoir storage. |
Baglihar Dam | A hydropower dam built by India on the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir. Subject of international arbitration. |
Desiltation | The process of removing silt or sediment from a dam or reservoir to improve water storage and flow regulation. |
Sluice Gates | Mechanisms for controlling water flow at dams and barrages. |
Coercive Diplomacy | The strategic use of threats or limited force (economic, military, or infrastructural) to influence another country’s behavior. |
Waterbed Access Warnings | Issued to protect civilians from drowning due to sudden river surges when gates are opened. |
CLAT 2026 Relevance: Legal + Current Affairs Integration
This topic is extremely relevant for CLAT aspirants in the following areas:
- Legal Reasoning
- Questions on treaty law, India’s sovereign rights, and principles of international water law.
- Scope of India’s legal actions under IWT and the doctrine of necessity.
- General Knowledge / Current Affairs
- Importance of Chenab River, Baglihar Project, and India’s geopolitical strategy.
- Connections to climate policy, water rights, and hydro-diplomacy.
- Reading Comprehension
- Passages based on resource politics, transboundary river disputes, and environmental conflicts.
Conclusion
India’s temporary halting of Chenab’s water flow into Pakistan underscores the strategic value of water as a geopolitical tool. It reflects a growing assertiveness in India’s foreign policy, where treaty rights are now being interpreted through the lens of national security.
This move is not just symbolic—it has practical implications for agriculture, energy, diplomacy, and international law. For CLAT 2026 aspirants, understanding how such real-world actions connect with treaty interpretation, water law, and bilateral diplomacy is vital for excelling in both the legal and general awareness sections of the exam.
