• A signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] for the construction of the Lalandar [Shahtoot] Dam in Afghanistan took place over Video Teleconferencing Capability (VTC) on 9 February 2021.

    • The MoU was signed by EAM Dr. Jaishankar and Foreign Minister Mr. Hanif Atmar, in the presence of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President of Afghanistan H.E. Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.

    • The project is a part of the New Development Partnership between India and Afghanistan.

    • The MoU on the dam reflects “India’s strong and long-term commitment towards the socio-economic development of Afghanistan and the enduring partnership between the two countries.

    • The Lalander [Shahtoot] Dam would meet the safe drinking water needs of Kabul City, provide irrigation water to nearby areas, rehabilitate the existing irrigation and drainage network, aid in flood protection and management efforts in the area, and also provide electricity to the region.

    • The dam will meet the drinking water needs of two million people in Kabul, provide irrigation water to nearby areas and rejuvenate irrigation and drainage networks.

    • This is the second major dam being built by India in Afghanistan, after the India- Afghanistan Friendship Dam [Salma Dam], which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister and the President in June 2016.

    • Signing of the MoU on Lalandar [Shahtoot] Dam is a reflection of India’s strong and long-term commitment towards the socio-economic development of Afghanistan and the enduring partnership between our two countries.

    • The project is a sign of India’s continuing commitment to Afghanistan against the backdrop of the troubled peace process with the Taliban and a sustained wave of violence targeting officials, civil society activists and journalists in cities across the war-torn country. 

    • The agreement was signed on a day when eight people were killed in four targeted attacks in Kabul.

    • As a part of our Development Cooperation with Afghanistan, India has completed more than 400 projects covering all 34 provinces of Afghanistan, and its pledges totalling $3 billion make it largest donor in the region.

    • Infrastructure projects include like Afghan Parliament, 218 Kms road from Delaram to Zaran connecting Afghanistan to Iran, 202-km Phul-e-Khumri transmission line etc.

    • Last year, India shipped 75,000 tonnes of wheat as aid to Afghanistan via Iran’s Chabahar port, and it supplied 500,000 doses of Covishield vaccine.  

About Shahtoot Dam

Shahtoot Dam is a proposed dam in the Kabul river basin, one of the five river basins in Afghanistan.

Outcome envisaged

    • Supply irrigation water for about 10,000 ha of existing agriculture land.

    • Supply drinking water for around 2 Million people in Kabul city

    • Provision of environmental flow in the river flowing in the Kabul city

    • Recharge of ground water for drinking purposes in Kabul ground water aquifer.

    • Contribution to the national food security (production of more crops, fishery and industry)

    • Promotion of tourism industry

    • Increase in the job opportunities and income.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)