Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)

Context

Recently, the Government of India rejected the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) dispute. India termed the tribunal “illegally constituted” and declared its decisions “null and void.” The issue is linked to disputes over the Kishanganga and Ratle hydropower projects on the western rivers allocated to Pakistan under the treaty framework.

About the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)

The Permanent Court of Arbitration is an intergovernmental institution headquartered in The Hague. It was established in 1899 during the First Hague Peace Conference and is considered the world’s oldest institution dedicated to peaceful settlement of international disputes.

Unlike a traditional permanent court, the PCA functions as a panel-based arbitration institution. Parties involved in a dispute select arbitrators from a panel of legal experts to constitute a tribunal for a specific case. Its main organs include the Administrative Council and the International Bureau, which acts as the secretariat.