India is preparing to halt the flow of surplus Ravi River water into Pakistan once the Shahpur Kandi Dam on the Punjab-Jammu and Kashmir border becomes operational, marking a long-awaited shift in the utilisation of eastern river waters in the Indus basin.

Jammu and Kashmir minister Javed Ahmed Rana said the project is expected to be completed by March 31 and is critical for drought-prone districts such as Kathua and Samba. Officials estimate that the dam will irrigate about 5,000 hectares in Punjab and more than 32,173 hectares in Kathua and Samba, significantly boosting agricultural output in the region.

Irrigation Boost For Border Districts

The irrigation component of the project has received central assistance of Rs 485.38 crore. Local leaders say the dam will transform farming prospects in areas that have long faced water scarcity despite being located near a major river.

Part of the Ravi currently flows unused through the Madhopur headworks into Pakistan due to limited storage and diversion capacity on the Indian side. Authorities argue that the new infrastructure will prevent such “wastage” by channeling water toward domestic irrigation needs.

Bani MLA Dr Rameshwar Singh said residents had waited years for the project’s completion. He noted that once operational, the water would be utilised to irrigate vast areas in Kathua instead of flowing downstream across the border.

Treaty Context And Policy Shift

The Shahpur Kandi Dam falls within India’s rights under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, which allocates the eastern rivers Ravi, Beas and Sutlej to India while granting Pakistan control over the western rivers Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. Former irrigation minister Taj Mohideen said the project does not violate the treaty because India has exclusive rights over the Ravi.

However, the broader geopolitical context has shifted. India placed the treaty in abeyance after the April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, a move intended to pressure Pakistan over cross-border terrorism. Officials say this decision has accelerated dam and hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir and reduced restrictions on utilising river waters.

Long-Delayed Project Nears Finish

Originally cleared in November 2001, the Shahpur Kandi Dam remained stalled for years due to disputes between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir over water sharing and project costs. Progress resumed after the two governments reached an agreement in September 2018, followed by Union Cabinet approval later that year.

With completion now in sight, the project represents both an infrastructure milestone and a strategic shift in India’s approach to river management along the border. By retaining Ravi waters for domestic use, India aims to strengthen irrigation, energy security and regional development while altering downstream flows into Pakistan.

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