Arbitration Panel Orders India to Uphold Indus Waters Treaty

An international arbitration panel has ordered India to uphold its obligations under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and has imposed restrictions on Indian construction at two hydroelectric projects in the disputed Kashmir region. The ruling, issued on Monday, August 31, 2026, by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, comes after India sought to suspend the treaty, which governs the sharing of water from six rivers that are vital to hundreds of millions of people in both countries. The court unanimously found that India had no legal grounds to suspend or terminate the treaty. It stated that the Indus Waters Treaty remains fully in force and that India must observe its obligations, including those related to the design and operation of its hydroelectric projects on the Western Rivers. The panel also prohibited India from carrying out certain works, such as pouring concrete beyond specified levels, at the Ratle HydroElectric Plant in disputed Kashmir. These restrictions will remain in effect until 90 days after a World Bank-appointed neutral expert decides whether the project's design complies with the treaty.