India has plans for new hydropower projects with large storage capacities on the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers. The proposed projects will include low-level sluice gates, previously restricted under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

“The government is looking at tapping the full potential of the rivers in the Indus basin. New projects are being considered in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Himachal Pradesh, along with the possibility of raising the reservoir capacity of ones in the planning stage," said one of the sources. Though India was allowed storage of 3.6 million acre feet (maf), infrastructure limitations prevented achieving this.

Currently, India mainly operates run-of-the-river plants. The Pakal Dul project, with 0.09 maf capacity, is the only reservoir-based plant so far. Upcoming projects—including Bursar, Wardwan Bursar, Gyspa, and Ratle, have a combined planned capacity of 2.23 maf.