Citing lack of jurisdiction, India rejects Hague court’s Indus Waters Treaty ruling
The Indian government has rejected a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, citing a lack of jurisdiction. India maintains that the court's formation violated the treaty and reaffirms its decision to keep the treaty in abeyance.
Why it matters
This highlights a significant diplomatic and legal standoff between India and international arbitration bodies regarding a critical transboundary water agreement.
Hours after the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague said the Indus Waters Treaty remains "fully in force" and called on India to “observe its obligations”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rejected this, saying that the “very establishment of this alleged arbitral body” itself was a “grave violation” of the treaty.
“This so-called Court was constituted by the World Bank in patent breach of the terms of the Treaty, and India categorically rejects its so-called award," the Ministry said on Monday (August 31, 2026).
It went on to say that India has “never recognised the existence in law of this illegally-constituted and so-called Court of Arbitration, and has consistently maintained that the very establishment of this alleged arbitral body constitutes a grave violation of the Indus Waters Treaty”.
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