The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague has ordered India to uphold the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and suspend work on a hydro project in occupied Kashmir, ruling that India had no justification for ending or suspending the agreement. The court's decision came after India unilaterally abeyed the treaty last year, sparking a brief military conflict between the two sides. According to the PCA, India must observe its obligations under the treaty, including those relating to the design and operation of hydro-electric projects on the Western Rivers. The Indus Waters Treaty allocates the eastern rivers to India and the western rivers to Pakistan.
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The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) has ordered India to uphold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan and suspend work on a hydro project in Kashmir. This decision follows India's unilateral abeyance of the treaty in April last year, which was met with resistance from Pakistan and led to a brief military conflict between the two sides in May 2025. The PCA has declared that the IWT remains fully in force, as India had no justification for ending or suspending the agreement. The court's order is related to India's work on the Ratle hydro-electric plant and requires it to suspend all activities related to this project until further notice. This ruling comes after Pakistan argued that India's actions were a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
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The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on Monday ordered India to uphold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan and suspend work on a hydro project in occupied Kashmir.
asserted
Court → order → Kashmir
Water and the IWT remain a contentious issue between India and Pakistan, following New Delhi’s unilateral abeyance of the accord in April last year — a move that was followed by a brief military conflict between the two sides in May 2025.
uncertain
that → remain → May
Following India’s move, Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”, noting the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension.
asserted
IWT → follow → suspension
It later argued that Delhi’s action was a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
asserted
action → argue → Treaties
In its order, the PCA backed Pakistan’s stance, declaring that the IWT between the two countries remained fully in force, as India had no justification for ending or suspending the agreement.
asserted
India → back → agreement
The Hague-based court issued an award on the status of the IWT “in respect of India’s decision on abeyance” and an order on Pakistan’s application dated March 4 regarding “interim measures” concerning the Ratle hydro-electric plant.
asserted
court → base → plant
In a press release detailing its ruling, the PCA said it “examined the potential grounds upon which India could suspend or terminate the treaty, including the grounds cited by India in its public statements”.
uncertain
India → detail → statements
“In a unanimous decision, the court found that none of these grounds could justify suspension or termination of the treaty.”
uncertain
none → find → treaty
It declared that the IWT “remains fully in force, and India must observe its obligations under the treaty, including those relating to the design and operation of its hydro-electric projects on the Western Rivers”.
asserted
India → declare → Rivers
The IWT allocates the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — to India, while the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — are largely allocated to Pakistan.
asserted
rivers → allocate → Pakistan
The 1960 water-sharing agreement has also established mechanisms for data-sharing and dispute resolution.
asserted
agreement → establish → sharing
The proceedings concerned the interpretation of IWT as a “general matter”, as well as in the context of India’s Kishenganga Hydro-Electric Plant (KHEP) and the Ratle Hydro-Electric Plant (RHEP).
asserted
proceedings → concern → Plant
The court noted that the Kishenganga and Ratle plants were “also the subject of proceedings” before a World Bank-appointed neutral expert, who is expected to issue a final decision in July 2027 on whether they were in line with the IWT.
asserted
they → note → IWT
During the proceedings, Pakistan requested the court to address the “design of certain components of the run-of-river hydro-electric projects that India is permitted by the IWT to construct on the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers and their tributaries (“western rivers”), before those rivers flow into Pakistan”, the PCA statement said.
asserted
statement → request → Pakistan
