An international tribunal ruled Monday that India cannot unilaterally suspend or terminate a treaty governing the sharing of water with Pakistan, ordering New Delhi to continue observing its obligations under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration, based in The Hague, also ordered India to halt work on two hydroelectric projects that could violate the treaty, pending further proceedings.

The Indus Waters Treaty governs the use of water from six rivers whose headwaters originate in India before flowing into Pakistan. The Indus river system is a vital source of water for hundreds of millions of people and supports agriculture and other economic activity in both countries.

The treaty has also provided a rare channel of engagement between India and Pakistan, despite decades of tensions and disputes over Kashmir.

India announced in May 2025 that it was placing the treaty in abeyance after accusing Pakistan of supporting a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistan denied the allegation.

New Delhi rejected Monday’s tribunal ruling, saying the court had no legitimate authority to issue the decision.

“India categorically rejects its so-called award, just as it has firmly rejected all prior pronouncements by this illegally constituted body,” India’s Foreign Ministry said.

“India’s decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance remains in force.”

Pakistan welcomed the ruling. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the decision “vindicates Pakistan’s consistent position that a binding international treaty cannot be unilaterally suspended or set aside.”

He said Pakistan remained committed to protecting its rights under the treaty. –

AFP

Pakistan will assume the presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State for 2026–27 after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the summit declaration in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The SCO Council of Heads of State meeting is being held in the Kyrgyz capital, with Sharif leading Pakistan’s delegation to the summit.

Following his arrival in Bishkek, Sharif also held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, stressing the importance of tolerance, dialogue and diplomatic engagement in promoting peace and stability across the region.

The SCO was established in 2001 by China, Russia and four Central Asian states as a regional security forum. Over the past 25 years, the organization has expanded significantly in both membership and influence, although its objectives and practical agenda have remained relatively broad and its global profile limited.

The SCO currently has 10 member states: China, Russia, India, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Several other countries are associated with the organization as dialogue partners.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have taken another step towards putting their new mutual defence agreement into operation, holding the first meeting of a joint committee established under the pact.

The three countries formally named the arrangement the Mecca Defence Alliance following high-level talks in Istanbul on Monday.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said a permanent secretariat would be established in Riyadh, with the first secretary-general expected to come from Pakistan.

The alliance was created after the three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7. Under the pact, an attack on one member is to be treated as an attack on all three.

Fidan said the alliance was based on respect for national sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs, while stressing that it remained open to other countries in the region.

Monday’s meeting brought together senior political and military officials from all three nations. Talks focused on military interoperability, joint exercises, defence-industry cooperation, joint production and research, and counterterrorism coordination.

However, questions remain over how the alliance would operate during an actual military crisis.

The Istanbul meeting comes as regional tensions have risen sharply, with the United States and Iran exchanging strikes on Monday after a month-long pause.

Washington said its forces struck two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rocket launchers on Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran later claimed attacks on US military positions in Jordan and the UAE, although both countries denied the bases had been hit.

The developments present a delicate challenge for Pakistan, which maintains close security ties with Saudi Arabia while also seeking to mediate between Iran and the United States.

Field Marshal Asim Munir travelled to Tehran on August 24 for talks with senior Iranian officials as Pakistan sought to revive diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and address the continuing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts warn Pakistan’s position could become more difficult if the trilateral alliance is seen as being directed against Iran.

The three countries, however, have stressed that the agreement is defensive and not aimed at any particular state.

The alliance could eventually expand beyond its three founding members, with Pakistan and Türkiye indicating that other countries could join.

Egypt is considered one of the leading possibilities. Cairo has participated in earlier discussions with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on regional stability, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Egyptian membership is possible. Egypt is reportedly examining the legal and constitutional implications before making a decision.

Bangladesh has also publicly expressed interest.

In the Gulf, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain have been identified as potential candidates because of their close ties with the three founding members and interest in diversifying their security partnerships.

Any expansion, however, would require agreement among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye over the security obligations involved in admitting new members.

The Istanbul meeting marks an important first step in turning the Mecca Defence Alliance from a political agreement into a more structured regional security partnership.