In a dramatic escalation of hybrid warfare, India opened multiple gates of the Salal Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, releasing a massive flow of water towards Pakistan on May 8. The move is being seen as the clearest signal yet of India weaponizing water in retaliation to cross-border terrorism.
Coming just days after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and launched Operation Sindoor—a coordinated military assault on nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK—the dam release adds a powerful new dimension to India’s response strategy: flood Pakistan’s ambitions with its own waters.
VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir: Multiple gates of Salal Dam on Chenab River in Reasi opened.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 9, 2025
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvqRQz)#IndiaPakistanTensions #OperationSindoor pic.twitter.com/nwSOAzGsQG
Two gates of the Baglihar Dam in Ramban were also opened the same day. While officials cited heavy rainfall, the timing and coordination point towards calculated water aggression.
With the Chenab River playing a vital role in Pakistan’s agriculture, this move threatens long-term consequences for Pakistan’s water security. For decades, India upheld its treaty commitments. Now, terror has consequences—and India has made it clear: Pakistan will pay the price in blood, flood and drought.
