Pakistan has secured a landmark victory in its water arbitration case against India, with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ordering New Delhi to “let flow” the waters of the Western Rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — for Pakistan’s unrestricted use. The ruling, delivered on August 8, 2025, is being hailed as a major legal and diplomatic success for Islamabad.
The PCA stressed that any exceptions allowing India to generate hydroelectric power must strictly conform to the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), rejecting India’s arguments for applying “ideal” or “best practices” standards outside the treaty’s framework. The decision also imposes design restrictions on run-of-river hydroelectric projects, limiting the use of low-level outlets, gated spillways, turbine intakes, pondage, and freeboard, which could otherwise be used to control water flow to Pakistan’s disadvantage.
Pakistan’s foreign office welcomed the award as a strong endorsement of its longstanding position, urging India to restore full implementation of the IWT. The tribunal also rejected India’s attempt to hold the treaty in abeyance, declaring such a move invalid under international law.
The PCA clarified that its decision is final and binding, with no appeal possible. It further confirmed that tribunal awards under the treaty carry precedence over determinations made by neutral experts or technical panels.
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This ruling not only strengthens Pakistan’s stance in water-sharing disputes but also reaffirms the IWT as a vital mechanism for resolving transboundary water issues peacefully, even amid strained bilateral relations.