Pakistan hails Indus Waters Treaty ruling, urges India to honor Court of Arbitration award

Pakistan’s Foreign Office, on Monday, welcomed an Award by the Court of Arbitration on the General Interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty, announced on August 8, and posted on the Court’s website today.

The Award interprets design criteria for new run-of-river hydropower projects to be built by India on the Western Rivers, the Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus.

In a key finding, the Court said India must “let flow” the waters of the Western Rivers for Pakistan’s unrestricted use. Exceptions for generating hydroelectric power must strictly follow the Treaty’s requirements, not what India considers an “ideal” or “best practices” approach.

The Court’s findings on low-level outlets, gated spillways, turbine intakes, and freeboard match Pakistan’s interpretation of the Treaty. The Award also restricts India from maximizing pondage volume.

The Court noted that its awards are final and binding on both India and Pakistan and have legal effect over later Courts of Arbitration and Neutral Experts.

Recognizing Pakistan’s vulnerability as a downstream riparian, it said the Treaty’s purpose on the Western Rivers is to set clear rights and obligations for both sides, along with cooperation and dispute resolution procedures.

The Award carries added weight after India recently announced it would hold the Treaty in abeyance and earlier boycotted the Court proceedings.

The Foreign Office called the Award an “endorsement of Pakistan’s historical stance on the Indus Waters Treaty.”

“Pakistan remains committed to the Treaty’s full implementation and expects India to resume normal Treaty functions and implement the Court’s ruling,” the statement said.

India’s objections

Pakistan initiated arbitration on August 19, 2016, after which India asked the World Bank to appoint a neutral expert on design and operational issues that overlapped with Pakistan’s request.

In December 2016, the World Bank, which has a limited ministerial role under the Treaty, “paused” the process of appointing the Court’s chairman and the neutral expert. The pause was lifted in 2022, allowing the Court to be formed and the neutral expert to be appointed.

On July 6, 2023, the Court issued a ruling on its competence, rejecting all of India’s objections and confirming its authority to hear Pakistan’s case.

The Court, on June 27, 2025, issued a supplemental ruling, finding India’s April 2025 decision to hold the Treaty “in abeyance” did not limit the Court’s authority.

India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty on April 24 after a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir killed 26 tourists.

The move contradicted Article XII(4) of the Treaty, which says termination can occur only through “a duly ratified treaty concluded for that purpose between the two Governments.”