India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday rejected the ruling issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague on the Indus Waters Treaty, calling the tribunal "illegally constituted" and saying it had no jurisdiction. The MEA asserted that the World Bank, which established the arbitration body, acted in "patent breach" of the 1960 treaty's terms.

The Hague court had earlier said the Indus Waters Treaty remains "fully in force" and called on India to "observe its obligations."

In response, the MEA said India has "never recognised the existence in law of this illegally-constituted and so-called Court of Arbitration" and has consistently refused to participate in its proceedings. The ministry described the tribunal's establishment as a "grave violation" of the treaty.

"This so-called Court of Arbitration has no jurisdiction whatsoever to pronounce on India's sovereign decisions," the MEA said, adding that its pronouncements "will have no effect on India's actions in connection with the projects being undertaken" by India or on India's decision to keep the pact in abeyance.