India is moving forward with the construction of two major water storage projects following the indefinite suspension of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, said former Indus Commissioner and technical consultant A.K. Bajaj.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Bajaj explained that even before the formal suspension of the treaty last week, the government had devised a framework to renegotiate its terms. He said work on the Pakuldul and Bursar projects, both key components of the Indus River System, has been fast-tracked. While the Pakuldul Project is already under rapid construction, the Bursar Project is currently in its final planning phase.
Once completed, these facilities will significantly enhance India's ability to store and utilise water from the Indus system, offering the flexibility to divert resources to states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana, Bajaj added.
The Indus Water Treaty, signed in 1960, has survived decades of tensions between India and Pakistan without interruption until now. The treaty grants India exclusive rights over the eastern rivers — Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi — totaling about 33 million acre-feet (MAF) annually, while Pakistan receives most of the water from the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — amounting to approximately 135 MAF each year.
The decision to suspend the treaty came in the wake of a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. It is part of a broader set of non-military measures taken by India, which include shutting down the Attari border crossing and revoking visas for Pakistani nationals.
Pakistan has reacted strongly, labeling the suspension of the treaty as an "act of war" given that about 85% of its agricultural economy relies on the Indus River system.
In retaliation, Islamabad has initiated a series of countermeasures, including suspending other bilateral agreements like the Simla Pact, which governs the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Pakistan has also reduced Indian diplomatic presence in its territory, shut its airspace to Indian flights, closed its side of the Wagah border, and expelled Indian Defence, Naval, and Air Advisers.