India rejects Hague ruling on Indus waters treaty

India has rejected a ruling by a Hague-based tribunal that the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty remains in force, deepening a dispute over shared river waters with Pakistan.

The Court of Arbitration, set up at Pakistan’s request, said the treaty is still legally binding. But India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the tribunal “illegally constituted” and said it had “no jurisdiction” over India’s decisions. New Delhi insists it can suspend or alter its use of the treaty, especially after suspending it in April 2025 following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistan welcomed the Hague ruling and says India remains bound by the agreement.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, divides six rivers between the two countries. India has control over three eastern rivers, while Pakistan relies on the western Indus, Jhelum and Chenab for drinking water, farming and daily life. Millions depend on these rivers, especially in Pakistan’s Punjab and Sindh provinces, where agriculture supports the rural economy and food supply. India had already placed the treaty in abeyance last year, stopping cooperation with Pakistan on water projects. It accused Islamabad of backing the Kashmir attack, which Pakistan denied.

India’s move is part of a broader push to pressure Pakistan over cross-border terrorism, according to former Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria. He said India sees suspending the treaty as a political lever, not just a legal step. India has also signaled it may seek to renegotiate the treaty due to climate change, new dam technology and worsening relations. But the Hague ruling won’t change India’s course, Bisaria said. “The tribunal will not alter this trajectory,” he told DW. “India’s course on the Indus Waters Treaty is set. The treaty will not be revived in its present form.” The standoff raises concerns about water security in Pakistan and the risk of further escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors.