India’s decision to hold Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance remains in force: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday reiterated that India’s decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance remains in force.

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was suspended by New Delhi following the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in 2025, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent tourists.

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The Indus Water Treaty (IWT), which was signed in 1960, governs the sharing of the waters of six rivers — Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — between India and Pakistan.

In response to media queries on matters pertaining to the illegally constituted so-called Court of Arbitration, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a statement said, “The illegally constituted so-called Court of Arbitration (CoA) has, on 15 May 2026, issued what it termed an award concerning maximum pondage supplemental to the award on issues of general interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty.”

India categorically rejects the present so-called award, just as it has firmly rejected all prior pronouncements of the illegally constituted CoA, the statement said.

“India has never recognised the establishment of this so-called CoA. Any proceeding, award, or decision issued by it is null and void,” the statement further said.

Earlier on May 7, while responding to a question on the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) during his weekly media briefing, the MEA spokesperson said, “Our position on the Indus Waters Treaty has been consistent. IWT stands in abeyance in response to Pakistan’s sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. Pakistan must credibly and irrevocably abjure its support for cross-border terrorism.”