The Indus Waters Treaty has taken a dramatic turn as India firmly rejects the authority of what it calls an ‘illegal’ arbitration court, labeling the entire process a ‘charade’ orchestrated at Pakistan's request.

The Indus Waters Treaty has taken a dramatic turn as India firmly rejects the authority of what it calls an ‘illegal’ arbitration court, labeling the entire process a ‘charade’ orchestrated at Pakistan's request.

India firmly rejected the authority of an arbitration court that it claims was “illegally” established under the Indus Waters Treaty. This came after the court issued a “supplemental award” regarding its ability to handle cases related to the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in Jammu & Kashmir.

The Indian government has been vocal in its opposition to the proceedings of the Hague-based Court of Arbitration since the World Bank set it up in October 2022. In a statement released on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the court's actions as the “latest charade at Pakistan’s behest,” asserting that this is merely an attempt by Islamabad to evade responsibility for its role as a hub of global terrorism. “India has never acknowledged the legal existence of this so-called Court of Arbitration. Our stance has consistently been that the formation of this arbitral body is a serious violation of the Indus Waters Treaty. Therefore, any proceedings or decisions made by this forum are illegal and void,” the MEA stated.