India has categorically rejected the latest ruling delivered by the Hague-based so-called Court of Arbitration (CoA) over the Indus Waters Treaty, asserting that the tribunal was unlawfully constituted and holds no legal authority. New Delhi said it does not recognise any ruling, order, or proceeding initiated by the body.
Addressing media queries, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the “illegally formed” tribunal issued a “purported decision” on May 15, 2026, concerning the Maximum Pondage issue under the treaty framework.
India reiterated that it has consistently rejected all previous rulings by the tribunal and has never acknowledged its legitimacy. Therefore, any action or decision taken by the body is legally void and without consequence, the government said.
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India Maintains Treaty Suspension
The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that India’s decision to keep the treaty in abeyance remains unchanged. The agreement between India and Pakistan, signed on September 19, 1960, governs the sharing of waters from the Indus river system.
India suspended the treaty last year after the Pahalgam terror attack, citing its sovereign rights under international law. New Delhi stated that the suspension would continue until Pakistan takes credible and irreversible steps to end support for cross-border terrorism.
‘No Authority To Challenge’
The ministry also referred to its June 2025 position, stating that India is not obligated to fulfil treaty-related commitments while the agreement remains suspended.
India further asserted that no arbitration body, particularly one it considers illegally constituted, can question decisions taken under its sovereign authority.
Kishanganga, Ratle Projects
The dispute had previously escalated over the Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project and Ratle Hydroelectric Project projects in Jammu and Kashmir. Last year, India criticised the tribunal after it issued a “supplemental award” regarding its jurisdiction over the two hydropower projects.
India had maintained at the time that the arbitration mechanism itself violated the treaty, rendering all related proceedings and decisions invalid.
India Targets Pakistan
India also accused Pakistan of repeatedly misusing international platforms. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Islamabad’s reliance on what it called a “fake arbitration process” reflects a long-standing pattern of deception and abuse of global forums.
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The government further alleged that Pakistan is attempting to deflect attention from its role as a global centre of terrorism through such actions.
