Islamabad: India has rejected an order from an international arbitration court related to the Indus Waters Treaty, deepening a long running dispute with Pakistan over shared rivers and raising concerns about water security in Pakistan.
The dispute is linked to the Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960 to manage how the two countries use the rivers that flow from India into Pakistan. The treaty gives Pakistan rights over most of the water from the Indus system while allowing India limited use for power generation and irrigation.
Pakistan had approached the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to challenge the design and operation of Indian hydropower projects on the western rivers. The court recently directed India to provide technical and operational data from its projects as part of the case.
India has refused to comply with the order. New Delhi says the arbitration court was not formed in line with the treaty and therefore has no legal authority. Indian officials also argue that the treaty is currently in abeyance due to strained relations with Pakistan, and that dispute resolution should be handled only through a neutral expert process under the treaty, not through arbitration.
Pakistan has welcomed the court’s decision and insists that the treaty is still valid and binding. Officials in Islamabad say the ruling supports Pakistan’s water rights and is necessary to prevent future shortages.
Water is a sensitive issue for Pakistan, where most agriculture depends on rivers that originate in India. Any reduction or uncertainty in flows can affect food production and livelihoods. Pakistani authorities have warned that delays in data sharing and cooperation could worsen water stress, especially during dry seasons.
The arbitration court has said that proceedings can continue even if one party does not participate. However, without India’s cooperation, enforcement of any decision remains uncertain.
The standoff reflects a deeper breakdown in dialogue between India and Pakistan on water sharing. Experts say the treaty has survived wars and political crises in the past, but the current situation poses one of its most serious tests.
For now, Pakistan is pressing for international legal backing, while India is holding firm to its position that the arbitration process is invalid. The future of cooperation over the Indus rivers will likely depend on whether the two sides resume political talks rather than rely only on court rulings.