On 15 May 2026, the Court of Arbitration (CoA) at The Hague issued a ruling on “maximum pondage” in India’s Indus river hydroelectric projects. India categorically rejected the award on 16 May 2026, calling it “null and void” and reaffirming that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains in abeyance since April 2025.
📌 Key Facts
- Treaty Signed: 19 September 1960, mediated by the World Bank between India (PM Jawaharlal Nehru) and Pakistan (President Ayub Khan).
- Allocation:
- India: Ravi, Beas, Sutlej (Eastern rivers).
- Pakistan: Indus, Jhelum, Chenab (Western rivers).
- Projects in Dispute: Kishanganga (J&K) and Ratle (Chenab basin).
- CoA Ruling Date: 15 May 2026 (supplemental award on pondage).
- India’s Response: 16 May 2026 – MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal declared the ruling “null and void.”
- Treaty Status: India placed IWT in abeyance in April 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
