Overview

• India has formally communicated the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty to Pakistan, citing breaches due to cross-border terrorism and refusal to engage in dialogue.
• Five major hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir, including Bursar (800 MW) and Swalkote (1,856 MW), are being fast-tracked to meet regional energy demands.
• The projects, which collectively aim to generate 4,000 MW of power, have cleared domestic technical and environmental reviews, bypassing the treaty’s objection process.
• Water Resources Secretary Debashree Mukherjee invoked Article XII(3) to justify treaty modifications, referencing demographic shifts and clean energy needs.
• The decision follows the Pahalgam terror attack, which prompted high-level discussions on leveraging water infrastructure for strategic and developmental goals.