India assures Pakistan to share information on designs of hydel projects on Indus river

India has assured Pakistan to share information on the designs of various hydropower projects that it is planning on the Indus river.

This assurance was given at the Annual Meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), comprising Indus Commissioners of India and Pakistan, which was held on March 23-24 in New Delhi, officials said.

Discussions continued on designs of two Indian projects, namely, Pakal Dul (1000 MW) and Lower Kalnai (48 MW). Indian side held that these projects are fully compliant with the provisions of the Treaty and provided technical data in support of its position, officials informed.


Pakistan side requested India to share information on the design of other Indian hydropower projects being planned to be developed. Indian side assured that the information will be supplied as and when required to be supplied under the provisions of the Treaty, according to officials.

India had cleared several hydropower projects in Ladakh since it was made a Union Territory in 2019. These are Durbuk Shyok (19 MW), Shankoo (18.5 MW), Nimu Chilling (24 MW), Rongdo (12 MW), Ratan Nag (10.5 MW) for Leh, while Mangdum Sangra (19 MW), Kargil Hunderman (25 MW) and Tamasha (12 MW) have been cleared for Kargil.

India in July 2020 had proposed to Pakistan that the meeting to discuss pending issues pertaining to the Indus Water Treaty be held virtually in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, but Pakistan insisted on holding the talks at the Attari check post. However, India had stated it was not conducive to hold the meeting at the Attari Joint Check Post due to the pandemic. The last meeting took place in Lahore in August 2018.