New Delhi: India on Thursday reiterated its readiness to assist Afghanistan in sustainable water management projects, including hydroelectric initiatives.
This move comes amid growing unease in Islamabad over the Taliban government’s plan to construct multiple dams on the Kunar River, a move that could severely impact Pakistan’s water and energy security.
“As you know, there is a history of cooperation, including the Salma Dam in Herat province,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly briefing.
Sources, however, said that Kabul hasn’t formally sought India’s technical support for the new dam project.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Information announced that Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada has directed the Ministry of Water and Energy to “begin construction on the Kunar River as fast as possible” and award contracts to local firms.
Deputy Minister Muhajer Farahi said the project underscores Afghanistan’s right to manage its natural resources for its people’s benefit — a stance the Taliban describes as “water sovereignty.”
The announcement also coincided with a surge in border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including deadly clashes along the Durand Line earlier this month.
Though there is an uneasy truce between the two sides, Islamabad has been accusing Kabul of sheltering Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, while Afghan authorities have condemned Pakistani airstrikes in border regions.
The proposed dam could deepen the standoff, given Pakistan’s heavy reliance on the Kabul River — of which the Kunar is a key tributary — for irrigation and hydropower.
The development also came months after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, marking a new assertiveness in regional water diplomacy.
Meanwhile, the External Affairs Ministry sharply rejected recent statements from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) commenting on India’s internal matters.
“We reject those statements. They have no locus standi to speak on issues internal to India,” Jaiswal said, reiterating India’s stance on sovereignty and non-interference.
Responding to questions on regional tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Jaiswal said that “Pakistan is infuriated with Afghanistan exercising sovereignty over its own territories. Its neighbours find it unacceptable. India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan.”
Answering a question on the summit of Quad leaders involving India, US, Australia and Japan, the spokesperson said: “It remains a valuable forum for discussions on shared interests, and any Leaders’ Summit is scheduled through consultations among the four partners.”
