India rejects Hague arbitration award on IWT, Says pact still in abeyance
Srinagar: In violation of international agreements, India has rejected a ruling issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration concerning hydroelectric projects in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, claiming that the Indus Waters Treaty remains in “abeyance” following May 2025 tensions with Pakistan.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in violation of the international binding on the issue, New Delhi dismissed the arbitration award linked to Pakistan’s objections over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydropower projects, terming the Court of Arbitration “illegally constituted.”
Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had never recognised the authority of the tribunal and rejected all its pronouncements as “null and void.”
India further maintained that its earlier decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance after the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam attack continues to remain effective. The Hague-based tribunal had reportedly issued an award on matters related to the interpretation of the treaty and permissible pondage limits for the projects under dispute.
Pakistan has consistently raised objections to the Kishenganga and Ratle projects, arguing that they violate provisions of the treaty governing the use of rivers flowing between the two countries.
However, legal experts in India reportedly cautioned that prolonged disengagement from treaty mechanisms could attract wider international scrutiny and complicate future regional water-sharing arrangements.
