India rejected a June 27, 2025, ruling by the Hague-based Court of Arbitration asserting its competence to arbitrate an Indus Waters Treaty dispute with Pakistan, with the Ministry of External Affairs dismissing the tribunal as illegally constituted. According to Reuters and the Ministry of External Affairs, India maintained that the panel has no jurisdiction over its sovereign decisions or the suspension of the 1960 water-sharing pact.
India Rejects Court Jurisdiction Over Treaty Abeyance
India has consistently refused to appear before the body or recognize its legal existence. On April 23, 2025, India announced that the treaty would be held in abeyance with immediate effect following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, linking the suspension to alleged cross-border involvement. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, that decision to keep the treaty in abeyance remains fully in force, and the tribunal’s pronouncements have no effect on India’s sovereign actions regarding hydroelectric projects.
Court of Arbitration Issues Supplemental Award
The Court of Arbitration issued a unanimous Supplemental Award on Competence on June 27, 2025, determining that India’s declaration of abeyance does not limit the court’s authority. The arbitral proceedings originated on August 19, 2016, when Pakistan initiated action under Annexure G of the treaty regarding the design elements of India’s Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects on the western rivers. According to court documents, the tribunal previously rejected India’s six objections regarding competence in a July 6, 2023, award. The court found that under paragraph 16 of Annexure G, it alone holds the authority to decide all questions relating to its competence.
Pakistan Welcomes Hague Ruling
Pakistan welcomed the Hague court’s order, stating that it directs India to suspend work on hydroelectric projects and uphold the Indus Waters Treaty, according to Hindustan Times and The Economic Times. Pakistan’s government announced it would examine the details of the ruling to assess how it might help create a pathway back to engagement under the treaty. Pakistan has previously framed India’s suspension of the water pact as an act of war and a disregard of international law, while India continues to pursue parallel proceedings through a neutral expert appointed at its request to review the Kishenganga and Ratle projects.
Indus Waters Treaty Framework and History
Brokered by the World Bank and signed on September 19, 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty allocates the three eastern rivers—the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—to India, and the three western rivers—the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab—to Pakistan. The agreement establishes mechanisms including the Permanent Indus Commission, alongside formal dispute resolution procedures utilizing a neutral expert or a Court of Arbitration. Under the terms of the treaty, India is permitted restricted uses of the western rivers, including hydroelectric power generation, provided it lets the waters flow without unauthorized obstruction.
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