Islamabad, Pakistan – Web Desk (May 18, 2026): Pakistan has won a major legal battle at the permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, with the tribunal ruling in its favor on the calculation method for maximum water storage capacity on Indian hydroelectric projects under the Indus Waters Treaty.
While the ruling has not yet been formally published due to the sensitivity of the case, it is being viewed in Islamabad as a significant diplomatic and legal victory.
Pakistan had challenged India’s calculation methodology before the arbitration court, arguing that the approach would allow India to create storage capacity far exceeding what was permitted under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.
Tribunal Accepts Pakistan’s Position
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Water and Power and spokesperson Syed Mehr Ali Shah confirmed that the tribunal accepted Pakistan’s position. The court ruled that India cannot unilaterally determine water storage capacity based on what Pakistan termed “artificial” grounds.
The case involved arguments over the design of India’s Ratle Hydroelectric Plant and the Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project. The tribunal issued its decision on May 15.
Key Legal Victory
According to Pakistani officials, the ruling proves that there are clear limits on India’s water control capacity under the Indus Waters Treaty, and India failed to demonstrate that its water storage had increased.
The decision mandates that India must provide complete information to Pakistan for treaty compliance review. The ruling has further strengthened Pakistan’s position on scientific, hydrological, and strategic grounds.
Pakistan has welcomed the decision reaffirming continued adherence to the Indus Waters Treaty.
