THE HAGUE: The ruling on the Indus Waters Treaty requires India to continue observing its water-sharing obligations with Pakistan and to restrict parts of the Ratle hydroelectric project, the Permanent Court of Arbitration said Monday.
The tribunal said India had no justification under the treaty to suspend or terminate the agreement and must comply with provisions governing the design and operation of hydroelectric projects on the Western Rivers.
India suspended participation in the treaty in April 2025 amid heightened tensions with Pakistan. The agreement, signed in 1960, governs the distribution of Indus basin waters between the two countries.
Pakistan initiated legal proceedings after India also moved to increase reservoir storage capacity at two hydroelectric projects in the Kashmir region.
The court accepted Pakistan’s request for interim restrictions at the Ratle Hydro-Electric Plant. It said India could not construct the dam wall and power intake structure above specified levels until 90 days after a neutral expert issues a decision.
The neutral expert, appointed by the World Bank, is expected to determine by July 2027 whether construction of the disputed hydroelectric projects complies with the treaty. India rejected the ruling and said it did not recognise the authority of the arbitration panel.
Read: Indus Waters Treaty Row Sparks Rivers Covenant Call
India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the tribunal had no jurisdiction over what it described as India’s sovereign decisions and maintained that the ruling would not affect work on the projects.
The treaty has remained in place since 1960 despite wars and repeated periods of tension between Pakistan and India.
