India has vehemently rejected a recent ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague concerning the Indus Waters Treaty, declaring that the international body holds “no jurisdiction whatsoever” over its sovereign decisions regarding water-sharing projects.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that India does not recognize the arbitration body, asserting that its establishment by the World Bank constituted a “patent breach” and “grave violation” of the 1960 treaty itself. Consequently, India has never appeared before the PCA nor acknowledged its previous or current pronouncements.
India's Stance on Arbitration
According to the MEA, the so-called Court of Arbitration (CoA) issued what it termed an “award concerning Interim Measures and Status of the Indus Waters Treaty.” However, India reiterated its position that the body was “illegally constituted” and therefore its rulings, whether now or in the future, will have no impact on India's ongoing projects.
India emphasized that its decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance remains in force. This stance underscores a firm rejection of any external judicial oversight on matters India considers to be within its sovereign domain.
The Hague Court's Ruling
Earlier, the Permanent Court of Arbitration had ruled that India must uphold the water-sharing treaty with Pakistan and limit work on a hydroelectric plant located in Kashmir. The court also maintained that the Indus Waters Treaty remained fully in force, stating that India had no justification for ending or suspending it.
The intergovernmental court had specifically ruled that “India must observe its obligations under the Treaty, including those relating to the design and operation of its hydro-electric projects on the Western Rivers.”
Background of the Dispute
India had suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in April of the previous year following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Subsequently, India began work to increase the reservoir holding capacity at two hydroelectric projects situated in Kashmir.
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan, governs the sharing of the waters from the Indus River system, which includes the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers.