ISLAMABAD – India’s attempt to put Indus Waters Treaty “in abeyance” suffered a major legal setback, with the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruling that the decades-old water-sharing pact remains fully in force and India remains bound by its obligations toward Pakistan.
The court has imposed interim restrictions on India’s Ratle Hydroelectric Project in occupied Kashmir, placing limits on construction work on key structures of the dam. The ruling comes at a highly sensitive moment in Pakistan-India relations, after New Delhi unilaterally moved to suspend the treaty last year and the two countries subsequently went through a brief military confrontation in May 2025.
International Court of Arbitration has maintained the legal status of the Indus Waters Treaty and issued its decision concerning “Interim Measures concerning the Ratle Hydroelectric Plant.”
According to the Government of Pakistan, the court unanimously determined that India’s decision to place the treaty “in abeyance” cannot be justified under the Indus Waters Treaty or other applicable rules of international law. The court made it clear that the treaty has neither been terminated nor suspended and remains fully operational.
India, the court ruled, continues to be legally bound by its obligations under the agreement and must fulfil its responsibilities under the treaty.
Those obligations include rules governing the design and operation of hydropower projects on the Western Rivers, as well as provisions dealing with dispute resolution between the two countries.
The Hague court’s decision goes beyond the treaty’s legal status, imposing interim measures on India over the controversial Ratle Hydroelectric Project. India has been prohibited from carrying out concrete work on the dam wall and power intake structure above specified levels.
The restrictions will remain in place until 90 days after the Neutral Expert delivers his final determination on the matter. The Neutral Expert’s final decision is expected in July 2027, meaning the restrictions could remain a major factor in the dispute for years.
The court has also introduced a reporting requirement concerning the project’s construction schedule. That reporting mechanism will continue until shortly after the Neutral Expert issues his final determination.
Pakistan has welcomed the interim measures, calling them necessary and significant.
The latest development strikes directly at India’s decision last April to unilaterally place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. The treaty, which governs the distribution and use of the Indus river system between Pakistan and India, has been one of the most contentious issues between the two countries for decades.
Following New Delhi’s move, Islamabad strongly rejected the idea that India could suspend the agreement on its own. Pakistan warned that any attempt to stop or interfere with its water share would be treated as an act of war.
Islamabad also argued that India’s unilateral action violated the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, maintaining that the Indus Waters Treaty contained no provision permitting unilateral suspension.
The water dispute escalated against the backdrop of rapidly deteriorating Pakistan-India relations.
After India’s move to place the treaty in abeyance in April last year, tensions escalated sharply and the two sides became involved in a brief military confrontation in May 2025.
Against this backdrop, the Hague court’s finding that the treaty remains fully operational carries significant legal and diplomatic weight.
Pakistan Welcomes Unanimous Decision
The Government of Pakistan has formally welcomed the award and interim-measures decision.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Islamabad said it had taken note of the court’s press release announcing that the award concerning the status of the Indus Waters Treaty and the decision on interim measures had been delivered.
However, the detailed award and decision have not yet been publicly released.
The Pakistani government said the documents are expected to be published within approximately a week.
Islamabad said it would conduct a detailed assessment once the complete documents are formally available.
Pakistan makes Strong Case for Dialogue, International Law on Indus Waters
