Pakistan on Monday welcomed the Award issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, interpreting key provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
The Award, announced on August 8, 2025, was made public today on the Court’s website.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the ruling clarifies design criteria for India’s future run-of-river hydropower projects on the Western Rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.
In a major finding, the Court declared that India must “let flow” the waters of the Western Rivers for Pakistan’s unrestricted use, affirming that any exceptions for hydropower generation must strictly follow the Indus Waters Treaty’s terms—not India’s interpretation of “ideal” or “best practices.”
The Court upheld Pakistan’s position on technical design elements such as low-level outlets, gated spillways, turbine intakes, and freeboard. It also restricted India from maximizing pondage volume beyond what is allowed under the Treaty.
