India’s New Dams in Disputed Ladakh Spark Water Security Fears in Pakistan
Weeks after suspending its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), India has accelerated dam construction in the disputed Ladakh region, triggering alarm in Pakistan. Over ten new hydropower projects—including Achinthang-Sanjak, Parfela, Sont (Batalik), and Khalsti—are now underway on the Indus River, which flows downstream into Pakistan.
Water and security experts in Pakistan have warned that these projects could violate the water-sharing terms outlined in the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, originally brokered by the World Bank. The developments could potentially restrict Pakistan’s access to critical water resources from the western rivers, raising fears of a looming ecological and agricultural crisis.
Islamabad has condemned India’s actions as an attempt to weaponize water resources in a disputed territory, a move that officials say breaches both international law and global norms of water diplomacy. “Unilateral control over transboundary rivers in a contested region is not only unjustified but dangerous,” a Pakistani official stated.
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Concerns have also been raised regarding the imbalance between military and civilian resource access in Ladakh. While the projects are reportedly aimed at supporting Indian military forces stationed in Siachen, local communities continue to face shortages of basic energy infrastructure.
The Pakistani government has long viewed India’s hydropower activities in occupied Kashmir as a potential threat to its water security—especially during times of heightened political tension. The latest wave of projects has only amplified Islamabad’s fears and added further strain to already fragile bilateral relations.
