Neutral expert to decide whether Himalayan Hydropower project complies with treaty by 2027, rules court
DNA
THE HAGUE: In a major boon for Pakistan in its dispute over the ‘one-sided’ suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has ordered India to suspend work on hydro projects and uphold the treaty.
The Hague-based court said the Indus Water Treaty between the two countries remained fully in force, as India had no justification for ending or suspending the agreement.
The court said a neutral expert, appointed by the World Bank, would judge by July 2027 whether the construction of hydroelectric plants in the Himalayan region was in line with the treaty.Meanwhile, Indian foreign ministry said that New Delhi “categorically” rejects the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s order.
Following the killing of 26 people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in April 2025, India held the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in abeyance. New Delhi accused Islamabad of orchestrating the deadly militant attack, an allegation that Pakistan denies.
On the basis of these baseless allegations, India started the war against Pakistan in May 2025, which was the heaviest fighting to have occurred between the two neighbouring nations in decades, before a ceasefire was reached and brokered by the US.
Arbitration proceedings between Pakistan and India under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) formally began at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, following Pakistan’s request for the establishment of a court.
The legal process was initiated under Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty, which provides a framework for dispute resolution between the two countries over water-related issues.
