World News
Hague arbitration panel says India must honor Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan
The court rejected India's unilateral suspension of the decades-old agreement and restricted construction on a disputed Kashmir hydroelectric project.
The short version
- An international arbitration panel in The Hague ruled that India must honor the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, declaring that the agreement remains fully in force and has no provisions for unilateral suspension.
- The panel also restricted India from pouring concrete beyond specified levels at the Ratle hydroelectric project in disputed Kashmir until a World Bank-appointed expert issues a final design ruling, expected in July 2027.
- Pakistan welcomed the decision, while India's Ministry of External Affairs rejected the court as an "illegally constituted" body and stated that its suspension of the treaty remains in effect.
Key facts
- The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled unanimously that India must observe its obligations under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.[Deutsche Welle · Associated Press]
- India announced it was placing the treaty in abeyance in April 2025 following an attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 26 people, accusing Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism.[Associated Press]
- The arbitration panel rejected India's justifications for suspension, ruling that allegations of terrorism do not constitute a material breach because the water treaty does not address terrorism or the use of force.[Deutsche Welle · Associated Press]
- The panel prohibited India from pouring concrete past specific levels at its Ratle hydroelectric plant in Kashmir until 90 days after a World Bank-appointed neutral expert rules on the project's design compliance.[Associated Press]
- India's Ministry of External Affairs stated it does not recognize the legal authority of the panel, calling it an illegally established body.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It is unclear how the ruling will be enforced given India's refusal to recognize the arbitration panel's authority and its ongoing position that the treaty remains suspended.[Associated Press]