On Monday, 31st August, India rejected an award issued by a World Bank-constituted Court of Arbitration over interim measures and the status of the Indus Waters Treaty. The government called the body “illegally constituted” and said it has no authority to interfere in India’s sovereign decisions or ongoing projects.
India rejects Court of Arbitration award
In a statement, the government said India has never legally recognised the so-called Court of Arbitration and has consistently refused to participate in its proceedings. New Delhi also rejected the body’s earlier pronouncements.
“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.
India said that the World Bank constituted the arbitration body in “patent breach” of the terms of the Indus Waters Treaty. The government said it therefore “categorically rejects its so-called award”, just as it has rejected previous decisions issued by the body.
India also reiterated that it has never appeared before the Court of Arbitration and has refused to take cognisance of its earlier pronouncements.
India says award will not affect its projects
The government made it clear that the arbitration body has no jurisdiction over India’s sovereign decisions, including projects being developed by the country.
“This so-called Court of Arbitration has no jurisdiction whatsoever to pronounce on India’s sovereign decisions,” India said.
The government further stated that the body’s decisions would not change India’s actions related to its projects. “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 has maintained that the creation of the arbitration mechanism itself violates the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty.
The government also made clear that its decision to keep 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 statement said.
This is not the first time India has dismissed the CoA’s rulings. The latest rejection follows India’s response to another award issued by the CoA on 15th May 2026. The award dealt with the issue of “maximum pondage”, referring to the limited water storage allowed in India’s run-of-river hydropower projects on the western rivers under the treaty.
