Archive · 11 Nov 2025
Afghan-India Friendship Dam Releases Water to Aid Drought-Hit Herat Farmers
Imagine a giant water bottle for a dry area.
That's the Afghan-India Friendship Dam in Afghanistan, built with help from India.
This week, it's letting out some water into a nearby river.
Farmers in the city of Herat really need this water because there hasn't been enough rain.
They will use this water for about 20 days to plant their fall crops.
This helps their farms grow food better, especially when it's very dry.
The dam is a symbol of friendship between India and Afghanistan and helps many people with water and electricity.
It's a big help for the farmers to grow their crops during a difficult dry spell.
Afghanistan's administration has released water from the Afghan-India Friendship Dam into the Harirud River, aiding Herat's drought-affected farmers.
The dam, inaugurated in 2016 by Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and India's PM Narendra Modi, is designed for power generation and irrigating 75,000 hectares.
The multi-purpose project, a significant infrastructure development by India, was executed by WAPCOS Ltd. and funded by the Indian government.
Water is being released for a 20-day period to support autumn planting, a vital step for agriculture in the drought-prone Herat province.
India's Ministry of External Affairs highlighted cooperation with Afghanistan on water matters, citing the Salma Dam as a prime example of their partnership.
- Who
- Afghanistan administration and Herat farmers
- What
- Release of water from the Afghan-India Friendship Dam into the Harirud River
- When
- This week, for a 20-day period
- Where
- Herat Province, Afghanistan
- Why
- To support autumn farming and alleviate drought-like conditions
- Dam Name
- Afghan-India Friendship Dam (Salma Dam)
- Location
- Chist-e-Sharif, Herat Province, Afghanistan
- Inauguration Date
- June 4, 2016
- Purpose
- 42 MW Power Generation, Irrigation of 75,000 hectares, Water Supply
- Storage Capacity
- 633 million cubic metres
- Project Cost
- Rs. 1,775 crore
- Implementing Agency
- WAPCOS Ltd. (Government of India undertaking)
