The UN's International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas has called upon India to suspend all legal proceedings against Italian marines, who stand accused of killing two Indian fishermen, pending international mediation.
The tribunal also rejected Italy's request to release the marines while the final ruling was decided.
Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone face murder charges for the killing of the two men off the coast of Kerala and are on bail awaiting trial. The Italians say they thought the fishermen were pirates.
Italy insists that as the shooting took place in international waters, the men should be tried in Italy, but India wants the men tried in an Indian court. The tribunal said that in addition to halting all current court proceedings, both countries should "refrain from initiating new ones which might aggravate or extend the dispute", the BBC reported.