India Rejects Permanent Court of Arbitration Ruling on Water Treaty

The Government of India rejected a May 15, 2026, award issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague concerning maximum pondage for hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir. The ruling focused on the Kishenganga and Ratle projects, upholding August 2025 decisions that required India to allow western river waters to flow for Pakistan's unrestricted use and to follow treaty technical requirements over Indian best practices.

The Ministry of External Affairs declared the Court of Arbitration (CoA) an illegally constituted body and described its proceedings as a charade. India maintains that all awards and decisions from the tribunal are null and void, arguing that technical disputes should instead be handled by a World Bank-appointed Neutral Expert.

This diplomatic clash follows India's decision in April 2025 to hold the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. That move was a punitive response to a terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. New Delhi asserts it is no longer bound by treaty obligations until Pakistan irrevocably ends its support for cross-border terrorism.

In response to these developments, the Permanent Court of Arbitration reaffirmed that the treaty remains legally binding and cannot be unilaterally suspended or terminated. Pakistani officials and diplomatic experts have characterized India's decision to hold the pact in abeyance as a violation of international law.