India denies the case and says its position on keeping the treaty on hold remains unchanged
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague upheld its earlier ruling supporting the continued validity of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), ruling that India cannot unilaterally suspend the agreement.
The tribunal reaffirmed that the treaty remained in force, rejecting arguments that either party can withdraw or suspend it without mutual consent. It said the legal framework for sharing the Indus river system continued to bind both India and Pakistan.
The ruling concerned long-standing disputes between the two countries over hydropower developments on the western rivers of the Indus system. Pakistan has repeatedly expressed concern that Indian projects running off the river could reduce downstream flows and harm agricultural production.
In an earlier ruling issued last year, the court directed India to allow the waters of the western rivers to flow for Pakistan’s “unrestricted use”, reinforcing Pakistan’s interpretation of the treaty’s water-allocation provisions.
Reacting to the ruling, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the matter. He said all proceedings by “illegally constituted so-called arbitral tribunals” and rulings were “null and void” and maintained that India’s position on keeping the treaty on hold remains unchanged.
Last year in August, the PCA ruled in favor of Pakistan on issues of general interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty, saying India would allow the waters of the western rivers to flow for Pakistan’s unrestricted use.
The Hague-based PCA issued a binding ruling on the interpretation of the IWT on August 8, 2025. in a case brought by Pakistan in 2016. The court says that the rulings of an arbitral tribunal and the decisions of a neutral expert are final and binding on both parties.
The PCA has also ruled that the specified exemptions for hydropower generation must be in strict accordance with the requirements set out in the IWT, rather than what India may consider an “ideal” or “best practice” approach.
Political and diplomatic experts on Sunday strongly condemned the Indian government’s rejection of the ICA ruling on IWT, terming it a serious violation of international law and justice.
Former ambassador Manzoorul Haq, while criticizing the statement by the Indian government spokesperson rejecting the authority of the International Court of Justice, said it reflected the fascist Modi government’s disregard for international legal institutions.
He said the ICA, based in The Hague, issued a historic ruling on the IWT which was binding on member states.
Talking with APPHe said India had already acted against the UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir and now ignored the ICA’s historic ruling on the IWT, exposing New Delhi’s disregard for international organizations and engagement.
Manzoor said India had neither accepted the establishment of the arbitral tribunal nor recognized its awards and rulings, undermining international obligations, the rule of law and the World Bank’s guarantee of the treaty.
He said India’s repeated violations of the IWT threatened the sanctity of international treaties and intergovernmental relations, adding that the RSS-backed Modi government should be held accountable for its illegal actions.
According to him, India’s decision to put the treaty on hold would endanger the peace of the subcontinent. He warned that any conflict between two nuclear powers over water resources could have dangerous consequences far beyond the region.
