India rejects World Bank-backed Indus Waters ruling, says court has no jurisdiction

India has rejected an award on the Indus Waters Treaty issued by a World Bank-constituted Court of Arbitration, arguing the body was illegally formed and has no jurisdiction over India's sovereign decisions.India rejects Indus Waters award, says arbitration court has no jurisdiction. (File photo: Reuters)India on Monday rejected a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that said that the Indus Waters Treaty, which Delhi has put in abeyance, remained in force. Rejecting the ruling, India said the court was “illegally constituted” and had “no jurisdiction whatsoever to pronounce [decisions] on India’s sovereign decisions”.“India’s decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance remains in force,” the Ministry of External Affairs also said in its statement. The statement was issued shortly after the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague issued a ruling asking India to limit work on a hydroelectric plant in Jammu and Kashmir region and uphold the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. The Treaty has been put into abeyance by India over Pakistan’s support for terrorist activities.The government said India has never recognised the existence in law of the so-called Court of Arbitration and has consistently rejected its proceedings and earlier pronouncements.In a statement on matters pertaining to the "illegally-constituted so-called Court of Arbitration", India said the body was constituted by the World Bank in "patent breach" of the terms of the Indus Waters Treaty. "Today, the illegally constituted so-called Court of Arbitration (CoA) has issued what it termed as an award concerning Interim Measures and Status of the Indus Waters Treaty," the government 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, just as it has firmly rejected all prior pronouncements by this illegally constituted body," it said. India said it has never appeared before the body and has refused to take any cognisance of its earlier pronouncements.INDIA SAYS AWARD CANNOT AFFECT ITS PROJECTSThe government maintained that the Court of Arbitration has no jurisdiction to rule on India's sovereign decisions, including those relating to projects being undertaken by the country."This so-called Court of Arbitration has no jurisdiction whatsoever to pronounce on India's sovereign decisions," India said."Its pronouncements, now or in the future, will have no effect on India's actions in connection with the projects being undertaken by India," it added.India also reiterated its position that the establishment of the arbitral body itself constitutes a grave violation of the Indus Waters Treaty.TREATY REMAINS IN ABEYANCEIndia said its decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance continues to remain in force."India's decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance remains in force," the government said.The latest rejection comes as part of India's consistent position that the Court of Arbitration was not validly constituted under the treaty and that its pronouncements have no bearing on India's actions.- EndsPublished On: Aug 31, 2026 17:08 IST