India dismisses proceedings, says its position on holding the treaty in abeyance remains unchanged
\n islamabad
\nThe Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague upheld its earlier award supporting the continued validity of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), ruling that India cannot unilaterally suspend the agreement.
\nThe tribunal reaffirmed that the treaty remained in force, rejecting arguments that either party may withdraw or suspend it without mutual consent. It said the legal framework governing the sharing of the Indus river system continued to bind both India and Pakistan.
\nThe ruling related to long-running disputes between the two countries over hydroelectric developments on the western rivers of the Indus system. Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns that Indian run-of-river projects could reduce downstream flows and harm agricultural output.
\nIn a prior award issued last year, the tribunal directed that India must allow the waters of the western rivers to flow for Pakistan\u2019s \u201cunrestricted use,\u201d reinforcing Pakistan\u2019s interpretation of the treaty\u2019s water allocation provisions.
\nResponding to the ruling, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the proceedings. He said all proceedings by \u2018illegally constituted so-called Court of Arbitration\u2019 awards, and decisions were \u201cnull and void,\u201d and maintained that India\u2019s position on holding the treaty in abeyance remains unchanged.
\nLast year in August, the PCA ruled in favour of Pakistan on issues of general interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty, saying that India would let flow the waters of the Western rivers for Pakistan\u2019s unrestricted use.
\nThe Hague-based PCA issued a binding Award on the interpretation of the IWT on August 8, 2025. in a case brought by Pakistan in 2016. The court says that awards of a court of arbitration and the decisions of a Neutral Expert are final and binding on both parties.
\nThe PCA has also ruled that the specified exceptions for the generation of hydro-electric plants must conform strictly to the requirements laid down in the IWT, rather than to what India might consider an \u201cideal\u201d or \u201cbest practices\u201d approach.
\nPolitical and diplomatic experts on Sunday strongly condemned the Indian government\u2019s rejection of the ICA\u2019s ruling on the IWT, terming it a serious violation of international law and justice.
\nFormer ambassador Manzoorul Haq, while criticising the statement issued by the Indian government spokesperson rejecting the international court\u2019s authority, said it reflected the fascist Modi government\u2019s disregard for international legal institutions.
\nHe said that the ICA, based in The Hague, issued a historic rulings about IWT that were binding on member states.
\nTalking to APP, he said India had already acted against UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir and was now ignoring the historic ruling of the ICA regarding the IWT, exposing New Delhi\u2019s disregard for international organisations and commitment.
\nManzoor said India had neither accepted the establishment of the arbitration court nor recognised its rulings and awards, which undermined international commitments, the rule of law and the World Bank\u2019s guarantee of the treaty.
\nHe said India\u2019s repeated violations of the IWT threatened the sanctity of international treaties and inter-state relations, adding that the RSS-backed Modi government should be held accountable for its illegal actions.
\nAccording to him, India\u2019s decision to hold the treaty in abeyance would jeopardise peace in the subcontinent. He warned that any conflict between two nuclear powers over water resources could have dangerous consequences far beyond the region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
India dismisses proceedings, says its position on holding the treaty in abeyance remains unchanged islamabad The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague upheld its earlier award 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, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-547012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-top-news"],"yoast_head":"\n