Indus Treaty Outdated, Hits India’s Hydropower; Suspended After Kashmir Attack
New Delhi/Shimla: The Indus Waters Treaty, once seen as a landmark pact, is now outdated and hurting India’s hydropower development, says Devendra Kumar Sharma, member of the National Security Advisory Board and former BBMB chairman.
Calling the treaty “frozen in time,” Sharma said its technical rules are stuck in the 1950s and do not reflect modern dam engineering, climate change realities, or the need for clean energy.
Treaty suspended after terror attack
The issue has gained urgency after India decided to suspend the treaty following a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The government also launched Operation Sindoor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi summed up the government’s stand, saying, “Water and blood cannot flow together.”
What the treaty says
Signed in 1960 by Jawaharlal Nehru and Ayub Khan with the World Bank as mediator, the treaty gives about 80% of Indus waters to Pakistan and 20% to India.
Sharma says that while the agreement worked well earlier, today’s needs—more power, growing population, and climate stress—require changes.
Salal dam shows the problem
Sharma pointed to the Salal Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River as a clear example.
India had to remove key sediment-control features from the dam after Pakistan’s objections. As a result:
Around 97% of the reservoir is now filled with silt
Power generation efficiency has dropped
Maintenance costs have shot up
Nearby farmland and homes have been affected by sediment
“The project has lost its purpose,” Sharma said.
Engineers ‘handcuffed’
According to Sharma, Indian engineers were forced to follow outdated rules and could not use modern techniques.
Himalayan rivers carry huge sediment loads, and without proper outlets to flush silt, dams quickly become ineffective.
Pakistan accused of double standards
Sharma also pointed out that Pakistan itself is building new dams with modern sediment management systems.
“It is unfair to bind India to old technology while Pakistan uses the latest methods,” he said.
Sharma said it is time to review the treaty’s technical provisions.
“With today’s challenges, especially climate change, we need modern solutions,” he said, adding that dams cannot work properly on Himalayan rivers without proper sediment management.
This revelation has come at a time when India has taken a tough stand, signalling that the future of the treaty may now depend on both security concerns and practical needs.
