New Delhi: India has strongly rejected a decision, called a “supplemental award,” made by a Court of Arbitration that it says was formed illegally under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960.
In a statement released on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called the court’s formation a serious violation of the treaty signed between India and Pakistan more than six decades ago.
The decision relates to the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir. India said that this so-called court has no legal standing and that it never recognised its authority. The MEA made it clear that any decisions made by this body are “illegal and per se void.”
India also reminded that it had put Indus Waters Treaty “in abeyance” after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. According to the government, this was done in response to Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism.
“This suspension will remain in place until Pakistan completely and permanently stops supporting terrorism,” the MEA said.
The Indian government further said that no court, especially one that goes against the rules of the Indus Waters Treaty, has the right to question India’s decisions as a sovereign country.
India also criticised Pakistan for what it called a “charade” to misuse global platforms. It accused Islamabad of being the “global epicentre of terrorism” and trying to mislead the international community with fake arbitration cases and false claims.
