India is currently conducting a feasibility study for constructing a 113-kilometre-long canal aimed at redirecting surplus water from the three western rivers of the Indus water system to the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, top government sources confirmed. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to maximise India’s rightful utilisation of its share under the Indus Waters Treaty.
Signed in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty governs the distribution of the waters from six rivers — the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — between India and Pakistan. While the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) were allocated to India, the three western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — were primarily assigned to Pakistan, though India retains limited usage rights for non-consumptive purposes and for irrigation within specified parameters.
Currently, a significant volume of water from the western rivers flows into Pakistan unused, as their natural course does not benefit India directly. To address this, India is developing a comprehensive plan to channel surplus water from these western rivers to regions within its territory where water demand is high.
According to sources, the proposed plan includes the construction of new canals to divert the excess water. One major component involves linking the Chenab river with the Ravi-Beas-Sutlej river system. The feasibility reports for the canal project are in preparation, and the construction is expected to be completed within three years.
Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing a BJP training event in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, reiterated the government’s commitment to water security. “Indus waters will be taken to Rajasthan's Ganganagar through canals within three years,” he said, emphasising that the initiative will ensure Pakistan is left “craving for every drop of water.”
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There are additional proposals under consideration, including a potential extension of the canal to connect it with the Yamuna river. If implemented, this would increase the canal's total length to around 200 kilometres. Such an extension could allow water to flow all the way to Gangasagar via the Yamuna, further expanding the reach of the diverted water. The scheme is expected to significantly benefit water-scarce states such as Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan by improving irrigation and addressing drinking water needs.
In the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, India has also raised national security concerns in relation to the Indus Waters Treaty. The Indian government has stated that the treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably" ends its support for cross-border terrorism.
The Pahalgam attack, which New Delhi has squarely blamed on Pakistan-backed groups — a charge Islamabad has denied — triggered a renewed debate on the treaty’s future. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor and reinforced its stance that "water and blood cannot flow together" and that "terror and talks cannot happen at the same time," as repeatedly emphasised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Despite India’s formal requests over the past two years to discuss treaty modifications, Pakistan has not agreed to engage in any renegotiations. The current canal plan signals New Delhi’s determination to assert its rights under the existing framework and ensure optimal use of its allocated share of the Indus waters.
Also Read: Pak begs over Indus with letters, India firm on 'no-terror' pact
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