India Diverts Ravi Waters for First Time, Halting Surplus Flow to Pakistan

India: In a landmark development for India’s water security, authorities have begun the major diversion of Ravi River waters through the newly operational Shahpur Kandi Dam in Punjab’s Pathankot district into the Ujh Barrage. This marks the first large-scale utilisation of the river’s waters within Indian territory since Independence, ending decades of surplus flow into Pakistan.

The Shahpur Kandi project, conceived in the 1970s and completed in early 2026, enables India to fully harness its allocated share of the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. Officials say the diverted water will irrigate approximately 5,000 hectares in Punjab and over 32,000 hectares in the drought-prone Kathua and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir, supporting year-round farming through gravity-fed canals.

For years, surplus Ravi waters flowed unused into Pakistan during monsoon and lean seasons. With the dam and barrage now functional, this water is being stored and redirected for domestic agricultural and irrigation needs, significantly boosting productivity in water-stressed regions.

It strengthens India’s position on water resources amid regional tensions, reduces dependency on monsoons in key areas, and maximises the potential of infrastructure long delayed by inter-state and technical challenges.

This development comes as India continues to prioritise full utilisation of its treaty rights on the eastern rivers, ensuring every drop serves Indian farmers and national interests.