The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has reaffirmed the binding status of the Indus Waters Treaty between Pakistan and India and issued interim measures concerning India’s Ratle hydroelectric project, strengthening Pakistan’s legal position in the long-running water dispute.
The development came in the arbitration proceedings initiated by Pakistan under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty over Indian hydroelectric projects on the western rivers allocated to Pakistan.
The Hague-based Court of Arbitration has been examining Pakistan’s challenges concerning India’s construction and operation of hydroelectric projects, including the Ratle Hydroelectric Plant on the Chenab River. The PCA formally records the proceedings as the Indus Waters Western Rivers Arbitration (Islamic Republic of Pakistan v. Republic of India).
The tribunal’s proceedings have included a specific phase dealing with interim measures and the present status of the treaty after India announced in April 2025 that it would hold the Indus Waters Treaty in “abeyance”.
In March 2026, the Court formally established a further phase to determine Pakistan’s request for interim measures and its application concerning the status of the treaty. The Court’s procedural order recorded Pakistan’s position that the treaty remained in force despite India’s announcement.
The legal proceedings are significant because the Indus Waters Treaty governs the use of the Indus river system and provides the framework for resolving disputes between the two countries over water-related projects.
The PCA had already issued an award on the general interpretation of the treaty in August 2025 and subsequently issued a supplemental award concerning maximum pondage in May 2026.
The tribunal’s latest intervention concerning interim measures comes amid continuing disagreement over Indian hydroelectric projects on rivers allocated to Pakistan under the treaty.
The Ratle project is located on the Chenab River, one of the western rivers whose waters are principally allocated to Pakistan under the treaty, while India is permitted to develop certain run-of-river hydroelectric projects subject to treaty restrictions.
Pakistan has consistently challenged aspects of the design and operation of Indian hydroelectric projects, arguing that they must comply with the technical and operational restrictions established under the treaty.
The PCA’s proceedings have continued despite India’s objections to the tribunal’s competence. The official PCA record states that India has not participated in the arbitration and has repeatedly objected to the Court’s jurisdiction.
The tribunal’s earlier decisions have nevertheless maintained the proceedings and addressed substantive questions concerning India’s permissible use of the western rivers.
The latest development is particularly significant for Pakistan because interim measures are intended to safeguard a party’s interests during the proceedings and prevent actions that could prejudice the eventual resolution of the dispute. The tribunal’s procedural framework specifically provides for interim measures to safeguard a party’s interests under the treaty or prevent aggravation or extension of the dispute.
The dispute has assumed greater importance following India’s April 2025 announcement that the treaty would be held in abeyance. The arbitration record notes that India subsequently communicated to Pakistan that the treaty would be held in abeyance with immediate effect.
The PCA’s continued examination of the treaty’s status and Pakistan’s request for interim measures therefore represents a significant development in the legal dispute over the Indus river system.
The case remains pending before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, with further proceedings continuing on the substantive issues raised by Pakistan concerning Indian hydroelectric projects.