Constituted illegally: India rejects Court of Arbitration ruling on Indus treaty

India rejected the latest Court of Arbitration award on maximum pondage under the Indus Waters Treaty. The government said it does not recognise the panel and its 2025 decision to keep the treaty in abeyance remains unchanged.

In Short

• The supplemental award dealt with maximum pondage under earlier treaty interpretation proceedings
• Randhir Jaiswal said India has never recognised the arbitration panel's legitimacy
• The ministry described every proceeding and decision of the body as void

India on Saturday firmly rejected the latest ruling issued by the so-called Court of Arbitration (CoA) on the Indus Waters Treaty. The MEA reiterated that it does not recognise the authority or legitimacy of the arbitration body and that its decision to keep the treaty in abeyance remains unchanged.

The response came after the CoA issued what it described as a supplemental award on “maximum pondage” linked to earlier proceedings concerning the interpretation of the treaty.

Responding to media queries, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India rejects the present award, just as it has rejected all previous pronouncements made by the body.

"The illegally constituted so-called Court of Arbitration (CoA) has, on 15 May 2026, issued what it termed an award concerning maximum pondage supplemental to the award on issues of general interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty," read the MEA press release.

It further added, "India categorically rejects the present so-called award, just as it has firmly rejected all prior pronouncements of the illegally constituted CoA."

The MEA maintained that India has never recognised the establishment of the arbitration panel and considers all proceedings and rulings issued by it to be “null and void”.

“Any proceeding, award or decision issued by it is null and void,” said Randhir Jaiswal, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

India also reiterated that its decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, announced in April 2025 following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, remains in force.

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan on September 19, 1960, in Karachi with mediation by the World Bank. The agreement governs the sharing of water from the Indus River system between the two countries.

Under the treaty, the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — were allocated primarily to India, while the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — were allocated largely to Pakistan, with limited usage rights granted to both sides under specific conditions.

Disputes over hydroelectric projects and water usage on the western rivers have repeatedly strained ties between the two countries in recent years, with India maintaining that Pakistan has increasingly misused dispute resolution mechanisms under the treaty framework.

- Ends