India Rejects Arbitration Ruling On Indus Water Treaty With Pakistan

According to CNBC, the Indian government rejected an arbitration ruling that said India must uphold the 1960 Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan and curb construction on a hydroelectric project in Kashmir. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled Monday that the treaty remains fully binding and that India had no valid grounds to end or suspend it. India said its decision to put the agreement in abeyance last year remains in force, and its Ministry of External Affairs said the court has no jurisdiction over India's sovereign decisions. The court also ordered India to limit construction on the Ratle hydroelectric plant in Kashmir, barring work on the dam wall and power intake structure above certain levels until 90 days after a World Bank-appointed neutral expert issues a final decision, expected before July 2027. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Islamabad welcomed the ruling and that India must comply with its treaty obligations and the dispute settlement mechanism's binding decisions.