Water Becomes Weapon: India’s Treaty Freeze Fuels China’s Dam Diplomacy in Pakistan

Published on May 29, 2025 by Ruta S Kulkarni

India Steps Away from the Treaty

India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty has sent shockwaves across South Asia. The treaty, signed to fairly share river waters between India and Pakistan, helped avoid major water conflicts for years. With India stepping back, Pakistan is now in a vulnerable position. Its heavy reliance on rivers originating in India means any change in water flow policies could directly impact its agriculture, electricity, and drinking water supplies.

China Rushes to the Construction Site

Just after India withdrew from the treaty, China acted fast by intensifying construction on the Mohmand Dam in Pakistan. This dam, located in a conflict-prone area, is now seeing a rush of concrete and machinery. State-owned Chinese companies are pushing the project forward at record speed. This quick action shows how China is using big infrastructure to insert its presence into regional disputes and reinforce its influence over Pakistan’s resources.

A Billion-Dollar Gamble

The Mohmand Dam, backed by Chinese investment, is a massive undertaking costing billions. It will rise 213 meters high and store over 1.239 million acre-feet of water. The dam is also expected to generate 2,862 gigawatt-hours of electricity each year. While this may help with power shortages in Pakistan, it also brings economic risks. Pakistan’s dependence on Chinese funding ties its financial and water future closely to another country’s strategic interests.

Drinking Water for a City

Besides power generation, the Mohmand Dam promises to provide 300 million gallons of clean drinking water daily to the city of Peshawar. This is crucial in a country where water shortages are growing worse. By supplying such a large volume of water to a major city, the dam becomes central to Pakistan’s efforts to secure urban water supply. Yet, this lifeline also ties vital services to foreign-built infrastructure and outside support.

India’s River Control Worries Pakistan

Almost 75% of Pakistan’s renewable water originates from rivers flowing from India. With the treaty suspended, India now has greater freedom to manage or redirect these waters. This has caused serious concern in Pakistan, where millions depend on the Indus River system. As the upstream country, India’s control becomes a powerful tool. Pakistan’s turn to China for help building dams shows how water issues are evolving into major geopolitical concerns.

Concrete Becomes Strategy

In this regional contest, concrete is turning into a diplomatic weapon. The Chinese government, through its state-owned construction firms, is pushing major dam projects like Mohmand to completion. Building dams in tense zones goes beyond economics—it’s a show of presence. China is not just lending money; it is embedding itself in Pakistan’s infrastructure. Through dams, it cements not only concrete but also strategic relationships in contested and politically sensitive areas.

Water Flows Tied to Foreign Help

Pakistan's water reality is deeply tied to another nation. Without control of its water sources, the country remains at the mercy of foreign policies. By turning to China for massive projects like Mohmand, Pakistan is hoping to shield itself from upstream changes. But this dependence creates new risks. As China gains more control over the infrastructure, it also gains quiet influence over Pakistan’s decisions on energy, agriculture, and urban water needs.

CPEC’s New Water Leg

The Mohmand and Diamer-Bhasha dams are now part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), linking roadways, power lines, and now rivers. These dams represent a new dimension of the corridor—water. China’s involvement extends beyond roads and energy into controlling water flows in Pakistan, even in disputed regions. This expansion of CPEC through aquatic infrastructure shows how China is blending energy policy with territorial influence under the cover of development.

Local People Raise Their Voice

Despite the strategic advantages, local communities near dam sites have raised objections. Many people fear displacement from their homes, unfair land compensation, and being left out of the benefits, such as access to the electricity generated. These protests reveal the human cost of foreign-funded megaprojects. What may seem like progress on paper often triggers social unrest on the ground, showing that water security through foreign help can come with domestic instability.

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