New Delhi: India on Saturday firmly rejected the latest ruling issued by what it termed an “illegally constituted” Court of Arbitration (CoA) on matters related to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India asserted that it does not recognise the authority or legitimacy of the arbitration body, hence any decision by the CoA is “null and void”.
The government emphasised that its decision to keep the treaty in abeyance remains unchanged.
India’s response came after the “so-called” CoA issued a supplemental award on “maximum pondage” linked to earlier proceedings concerning the interpretation of the treaty.
“The illegally constituted so-called Court of Arbitration (CoA) has, on 15 May 2026, issued what it termed an award concerning maximum pondage supplemental to the award on issues of general interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty,” MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in the press release.
“India categorically rejects the present so-called award, just as it has firmly rejected all prior pronouncements of the illegally constituted CoA,” Jaiswal stated.
India has never recognised the establishment of the arbitration panel.
“Any proceeding, award or decision issued by it is null and void,” MEA added.
“India’s decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance remains in force,” Jaiswal concluded.
The Narendra Modi government suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty on April 23, 2025, a day after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack which killed 26 innocent men.
in Jammu and Kashmir. The suspension is a strategic, indefinite pause rather than a complete termination, aimed at pressuring Pakistan to cease support for cross-border terrorism.
