India Shuts Salal and Baglihar Dam Gates, Sparks Water Crisis in Pakistan
New Delhi, 6th May 2025: India has closed the gates of the Salal and Baglihar dams built on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, significantly reducing the river’s downstream flow into Pakistan. Within 24 hours, the water level of the Chenab in Pakistan dropped from 22 feet to 15 feet, sparking alarm over a looming water crisis in the Punjab province.
The sudden dip in water levels threatens drinking water supply for over 3 crore people across 24 cities, including densely populated regions such as Faisalabad and Hafizabad, where 80% of the population depends on the Chenab for drinking water. Pakistani officials have warned that the crisis could worsen within the next four days if the flow isn’t restored.
Pakistan’s Indus Water Authority has expressed concern that this disruption will lead to a 21% decline in water availability for Kharif crops, impacting the country’s agricultural output at a critical time.
The closure of the Salal Dam gates in Reasi district on Monday follows the earlier shutdown of the Baglihar Dam. Indian authorities are reportedly also considering restricting the flow of the Jhelum River via the Kishanganga Dam in Kashmir.
Political Fallout: ‘An Act of War’
The move has triggered a strong response from Islamabad. Pakistan’s Parliament has termed India’s action an “act of war”, accusing New Delhi of deliberately violating the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, a landmark water-sharing agreement brokered by the World Bank.
Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reignited tensions with a provocative statement made on April 25, saying, “Either our water will flow in the Indus, or their blood will flow.”
On May 4, current Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif went further, warning that “if India builds a dam on the Indus, Pakistan will attack it.”
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif added on May 1 that “India is making war-inciting decisions and adopting an aggressive stance against Pakistan.”
India’s Stand Post-Pahalgam Attack
New Delhi linked the recent water policy shift to the Pahalgam terror attack, after which India decided to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, asserting its rights over western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — which Pakistan has relied on for decades.
Signed in 1960, the Indus Water Treaty granted India exclusive rights over the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej), while Pakistan was allowed unrestricted use of the western rivers. Now, India appears to be recalibrating its approach in response to rising security concerns.
Economic Impact in Pakistan
Beyond drinking water shortages, the restrictions are poised to cripple Pakistan’s agriculture and reduce output from hydropower projects. As 80% of the country’s farming relies on water from the Indus basin, the drying rivers could lead to widespread crop failure and economic instability. A drop in hydropower generation could also cause electricity shortages, compounding Pakistan’s already fragile economic situation.
What’s Next?
As diplomatic tensions rise, water has emerged as the new flashpoint between the nuclear-armed neighbours. While India maintains that it has the right to manage water within its territory, Pakistan is preparing to escalate the matter on international platforms.
