International court: India must respect water sharing treaty with Pakistan

The Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague has said that India must respect a water-sharing agreement with Pakistan, which it suspended due to tensions between the two countries. It must also limit the work being done on a hydroelectric plant in 'the Kashmir region.

India suspended in April of last year the treaty which ensured water supply to 80% Pakistani farms after India identified two of three attackers as Pakistani in an attack in Kashmir in that month that killed 26 people.

Islamabad denies any involvement in the attack, and has taken legal action against India for boosting reservoir capacity at two hydroelectric plants in the Kashmir area.

India was seen as taking a first concrete step to act outside the Indus Waters treaty, which both countries have honored since 1960 despite the fact that they've been involved in three wars.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that the Indus Water treaty was still in full force as India did not have any justification to terminate or suspend the agreement.

The intergovernmental court stated that "India must comply with its obligations under the Treaty including those related to the design and operations of its hydroelectric projects on Western Rivers".

India, an official member of the court, has said that it does not recognise the court. It also "categorically rejects" the verdict.

The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that "this so-called Court of Arbitration" has no authority to make any decisions on India's sovereign decision.

"Its 'pronouncements now or in the future will have no impact on India's actions with respect to the projects that India is undertaking."

The court said that a neutral expert appointed by the World Bank would decide if the construction of hydroelectric plant in the Himalayan area was in accordance with the treaty 'by July 2027.

The?court agreed with a request from Pakistan and said that India could not?build the wall of the Ratle hydro-electric plant or the intake structure for power above certain levels, until 90 days following the neutral expert's ruling.

(source: Reuters)