India rejects international ruling, stands firm on Indus Waters Treaty suspension
India has rejected a recent position by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration concerning the Indus Waters Treaty, maintaining that the international body has no authority over the country’s sovereign decisions.
The court said India was not justified in suspending or ending the treaty and maintained that the water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan continues to remain in force.
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in September 1960 to establish a framework for sharing the waters of the Indus river system between the two countries.
India suspended the treaty following the April 22, 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed. New Delhi subsequently announced several measures against Pakistan.
The Indian government has repeatedly linked the continuation of the treaty to action against cross-border terrorism, arguing that the existing arrangement cannot continue while terror networks operate from Pakistani territory.
The Ministry of External Affairs strongly rejected the latest position of the arbitration body, saying India does not recognise its legal authority.
The ministry also reiterated its view that the body was established in violation of the treaty and said India would reject its latest pronouncement, as it has rejected earlier decisions from the same forum.