India rejects World Bank court's ruling on Indus Waters Treaty
What's the story
India has rejected the World Bank-constituted Court of Arbitration's (CoA) ruling on the Indus Waters Treaty. The Permanent Court of Arbitration said on Monday that India must limit work on a hydroelectric plant in the Kashmir region and uphold a water-sharing treaty with Pakistan it suspended after the Pahalgam terror attack. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called the CoA "illegally constituted" and said it had no jurisdiction whatsoever to "pronounce on India's sovereign decisions."
Rejection statement
'India categorically rejects its so-called award'
The MEA said, "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 stressed that it has never recognized 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."
Twitter Post
CoA issues award on status of Indus Waters Treaty
🔸 #PCA Press Release | The Indus Waters Western Rivers Arbitration (Islamic Republic of Pakistan v. Republic of India) 🔸
— Permanent Court of Arbitration (@PCA_CPA) August 31, 2026
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱… pic.twitter.com/0QWASt85Cw
Ruling details
CoA said treaty remains fully in force
It further asserted that the court's pronouncements, now or in the future, will "have no effect on India's actions in connection with the projects being undertaken by India."
In a press release, the court said it had examined the grounds on which the treaty had been suspended, adding these did not "justify suspension or termination."
"Accordingly, the Indus Waters Treaty remains fully in force, and India must observe its obligations under the Treaty," the court said.