India Initiates Chenab Water Diversion Study Amid Treaty Suspension
India has begun a pre-feasibility study aimed at diverting 15–20 million acre-feet of water from the Chenab River to Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. This ambitious canal-linking project is part of a larger national strategy to reclaim control over Indus basin resources following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
The project proposes to interlink the Chenab with existing canal networks running through Jammu, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. The Ministry of Jal Shakti is now examining the condition of these canals to assess whether they are capable of carrying the diverted water effectively, and to determine the level of investment required for restructuring the system.
“We need to evaluate if the water diverted from the Chenab through these canals is being delivered in proper condition and determine investment required for restructuring the canal system,” an official said.
To complement the canal diversion, India is also pushing forward with storage and run-of-river infrastructure to optimize usage of the Chenab waters. Under the now-suspended IWT, India was permitted to utilize 20% of the Indus system’s water for non-consumptive purposes. Now, the government is considering negotiating for rights to use up to 40%, should treaty talks resume in any form.
The Chenab originates in Himachal Pradesh, flows through Jammu and Kashmir, and enters Pakistan, making it one of the three western rivers of strategic importance under the IWT. India’s plans to divert its flow before it crosses into Pakistan are likely to have geopolitical implications but are being framed domestically as a water sovereignty initiative.
With water stress increasing across northern India, especially in agricultural belts, the proposed Chenab-Ravi-Beas-Sutlej link is seen as a vital long-term solution. The outcomes of the pre-feasibility study will determine the viability, scale, and funding needs of the project, which could fundamentally shift water availability across several northern Indian states.
