India has stopped the flow of Chenab River water to Pakistan following the cancellation of the Indus Waters Treaty. According to the Press Trust of India (PTI) on Sunday (May 4), water from the Chenab River has been blocked at the Baglihar Dam in Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir. India is also planning to block the Jhelum River using the Kishanganga Dam.
The decision comes after tensions escalated between the two countries following a deadly attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 people were killed by gunmen. India accused Pakistan of indirect involvement in the attack.
The day after the Pahalgam incident, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an emergency meeting, during which India officially announced the cancellation of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. This treaty, signed in 1960 under the auspices of the World Bank, allowed Pakistan to receive water from three rivers originating in India. After India scrapped the agreement, fears grew that water flow would be stopped — which has now become reality.
India has also hinted at a possible military strike against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam attack. On Sunday, Modi held a separate meeting with the Indian Air Force chief, further fueling speculation.
In retaliation, Pakistan has nullified the Simla Agreement, a treaty signed in 1972 after Bangladesh’s independence, which stipulated that India and Pakistan would resolve conflicts through peaceful dialogue. Since the cancellation, the two countries have been engaged in nightly gunfire exchanges along the border over the past 10 days. However, no casualties have been reported so far.