On July 6, 2023, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague made a decision. The decision was regarding India’s objections to a Pakistan-initiated procedure. The procedure was related to water use in the Indus River basin. The PCA is an international court of arbitration. Its purpose is to settle disputes between states.
The Indus River is a significant river system in South Asia. It flows through India and Pakistan. These two countries have been in a longstanding dispute over water sharing from the river. The dispute has spanned several decades. In 1960, India and Pakistan signed the Indus Water Treaty. This treaty establishes the terms of water sharing between the two countries.
Pakistan initiated arbitration proceedings against India in 2016.
The PCA rejected India’s objections in a unanimous decision. The court found that Pakistan had properly initiated the arbitration proceedings and that the PCA had jurisdiction to hear the case. The court also rejected India’s argument that the arbitration proceedings were illegal and parallel to other proceedings under the Indus Water Treaty.
The PCA’s decision is a significant victory for Pakistan. It means that the arbitration proceedings will now go ahead and that India will be required to participate in them. The outcome of the arbitration could have a major impact on the water sharing arrangements between India and Pakistan.
India has rejected the PCA’s decision, calling it “illegal and farcical.” The Indian government has said that it will not participate in the arbitration proceedings. It remains to be seen how the PCA will proceed in the case, given India’s refusal to participate.
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