India Refuses to Recognize Hague Court Ruling on Indus Water Dispute

India has firmly rejected the latest ruling issued by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration regarding the Indus Waters Treaty dispute with Pakistan. The Indian government described the arbitration court as “illegally constituted” and declared that all its decisions are invalid and without legal authority. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that India has never accepted the formation of this arbitration body and therefore does not recognize any ruling, order, or action taken by it. According to the government, the tribunal has no legal standing, making its recent decision completely null and void. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the so-called Court of Arbitration issued an award on May 15, 2026, concerning the issue of “Maximum Pondage” under the Indus Waters Treaty. However, India dismissed the ruling outright and reiterated its long-standing position that the tribunal was established unlawfully. India also confirmed that its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty remains unchanged. The treaty, signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, governs the sharing and use of waters from the Indus River system. New Delhi stated that it exercised its sovereign rights under international law to suspend the treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack last year. According to the Indian government, the suspension will continue until Pakistan takes credible and sustained action against cross-border terrorism. India emphasized that no international arbitration body, especially one it considers illegally formed, can challenge decisions taken under its sovereign authority. The government further accused Pakistan of repeatedly misusing international forums to pressure India and divert global attention away from terrorism-related concerns. The MEA claimed that Pakistan’s participation in the arbitration process is part of a broader strategy to exploit international institutions for political purposes. Following the Pahalgam attack, India introduced several strict measures against Pakistan, including suspending cooperation under the Indus Waters Treaty. The latest disagreement over the Hague tribunal has further increased tensions between the two neighboring countries over water-sharing and regional security issues.