New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): India has refused to accept a fresh ruling issued by the Court of Arbitration (CoA) over the Indus Waters Treaty, reiterating that it does not consider the arbitration body legally valid or competent to decide matters concerning the country.
The government said the panel was established in a manner that, in India’s assessment, violates the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty. New Delhi has therefore maintained from the outset that the body has no legitimate jurisdiction and has declined to participate in its proceedings.
The latest ruling, which deals with interim measures and the status of the treaty, has consequently been rejected by India. The government said its position remains unchanged despite earlier pronouncements issued by the panel.
India also stressed that decisions taken by its government in exercise of its sovereign authority cannot be subjected to the jurisdiction of an arbitration mechanism that it does not recognise. It added that the panel’s present or future pronouncements would not alter the country’s approach towards projects being undertaken by India.
The government further reiterated that its decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance remains operative.
India’s latest statement underlines its continuing objection to the parallel dispute-resolution process surrounding the treaty, particularly over the legitimacy and jurisdiction of the Court of Arbitration.
