“India cannot walk away from its legal obligations”: FO on India’s rejection of IWT arbitration award

The Foreign Office on Wednesday said India “cannot walk away from its international legal obligations” simply because the outcomes does not go its way, warning that New Delhi’s conduct on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was “damaging the sanctity of treaties” and the broader system for resolving international disputes.

Addressing weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said India’s behaviour was “undermining confidence in established international legal and dispute-resolution mechanisms,” and could set a “dangerous precedent” for legal agreements over shared resources in other regions of the world. He said unilateral measures in the management of cross-border water in a sensitive region like South Asia were “extremely concerning,” adding that such actions “run counter to sustainable peace and regional stability.”

Andrabi said India “must fully comply with the Indus Waters Treaty and respect the institutional mechanism established under the agreement,” noting that both countries “had formally accepted the framework” of the treaty. He said the Indian foreign ministry’s rejection of the Court of Arbitration’s award “cannot nullify India’s legal obligations,” adding that rejecting the award “will not change” India’s responsibilities under the treaty. “India cannot absolve itself of its obligation to implement the Court of Arbitration’s award,” he said.

US-Iran tensions

Andrabi said Pakistan was “concerned” over growing tensions between the United States and Iran, adding that Islamabad was “in contact” with both countries on efforts to resolve the dispute through dialogue.

He said an increase in tensions was “not in anyone’s interest,” rejecting the notion that recent escalation amounted to a failure of the mediation process.

Andrabi added that Pakistan was “not disheartened” in its efforts for the peace process despite the tensions, and remained “continuously engaged with complete sincerity” in the process. He said PM Shehbaz had met the Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, while the deputy prime minister Dar had held “important contacts” with the Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and other regional leaders.

Andrabi said the Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit to Tehran last month had “strengthened efforts” to resolve the Strait of Hormuz dispute, and that Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts on the issue “will continue.” He said he hoped that both parties “will return to the negotiating table.”

The spokesperson said the Islamabad Agreement and the Pakistan-US joint statement “provide a framework for negotiations,” urging both sides to pursue “political and technical talks” for a lasting and sustainable solution. He said Pakistan “will continue its positive and constructive diplomatic efforts” for a durable resolution of the dispute.

Kyrgyzstan, SCO chairmanship

On Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Bishkek, Andrabi said Sharif met Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, with the two countries signing “several agreements and MOUs” across sectors including trade, economy, investment and infrastructure. He said Sharif and Japarov “discussed various aspects of bilateral relations” in a joint press takeout, a day after the prime minister attended the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting and the SCO Plus Summit.

The spokesperson said PM Shehbaz and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held meetings with counterparts and world leaders on the sidelines of the summit, with Dar separately meeting the SCO Secretary-General and the UN Secretary-General.

Andrabi confirmed that Pakistan “has assumed the one-year chairmanship of the SCO” and will host next year’s summit, under the theme “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation, and Shared Prosperity.” He said Pakistan “will work with SCO member states” to promote regional peace and stability, economic cooperation, connectivity, and shared development and prosperity.

Makkah Joint Defence Agreement

Andrabi said the inaugural session of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee, established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, was held in Istanbul on August 31, where Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye “reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace and stability through the peaceful resolution of crises, restraint and de-escalation.”

The three countries “agreed to further institutionalise cooperation” under the Makkah Agreement and “strengthen collective defence and shared security,” he said, adding that the agreement’s secretariat “will be established in Saudi Arabia,” while its secretary-general “will initially be appointed from Pakistan for a three-year term.” Andrabi said the three countries “will further enhance cooperation in the defence industry, joint technology production, and boosting the capacity of armed forces.”

Meetings with Turkiye

The spokesperson said Dar met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul, with both sides “welcoming further strengthening of Pakistan-Turkiye relations” in the political, economic, security and cultural fields. He said the two countries “agreed to hold the next session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council as soon as possible, potentially this year,” and “agreed on close cooperation on regional and global affairs and promoting peace and stability.” Dar also met the Turkish defence minister in Istanbul, Andrabi said.

Andrabi who is set to be posted to Geneva also welcomed the new FO spokesperon Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan, who will be leading the briefings from next week.