Introduction
In a landmark follow-up to its June 2025 ruling, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague has once again reinforced Pakistan’s water rights under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). On August 8, 2025, the PCA, in its Final Award, directed India to ensure the uninterrupted flow of the Western Rivers — the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — for Pakistan’s unrestricted use, rejecting New Delhi’s attempts to suspend its Treaty obligations..[1] These decisions, delivered amid heightened political tensions and military confrontations, directly addressed India’s unilateral attempt to suspend the Treaty, clarified the binding force of its provisions, and set precise technical limits on the design of run-of-river hydroelectric plants (HEPs) on the Western Rivers allocated to Pakistan.
From Pakistan’s perspective, these rulings mark both a legal victory and a strategic reinforcement of its water rights. They reaffirm that the IWT cannot be unilaterally suspended; that all disputes must be addressed through the Treaty’s established mechanisms; and that India’s engineering choices must remain within strict Treaty-defined parameters. However, the rulings also underscore the fragility of the cooperative framework, as India has rejected the PCA’s authority and signalled its unwillingness to comply.
