'Charade at Pakistan’s behest': India calls arbitration court under Indus treaty 'illegal'; rejects its authority

The Indian side has never participated in the proceedings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration since Pakistan raised objections to certain design elements of the 330 MW Kishanganga and 850 MW Ratle hydropower projects in 2016 under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty.

On Friday, the Court of Arbitration considered the impact of the Indian government’s decision of April 23 to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance on its competence to take up the case lodged by Pakistan. In a unanimous decision, the court ruled that India’s decision “does not limit” its competence over the dispute and that the ruling “is binding on the Parties and without appeal”.

The external affairs ministry categorically rejected the “so-called supplemental award” of the Court of Arbitration, just as it “rejected all prior pronouncements of this body”. The ministry said in a statement that the Court of Arbitration is illegal and was “purportedly constituted under the Indus Waters Treaty…albeit in brazen violation of it”.