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UPSC MainsGeneral Studies Paper IGeographyPractice question

Water Resources as Asset and Conflict in South Asia

Water resources are both an asset and a source of conflict in South Asia. Examine with examples.

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Begin by contextualising South Asia's shared hydrological networks fed by the Himalayan river basins. Analyse how transboundary water acts as an asset for clean energy, trade, and regional cooperation, followed by an examination of how contested sharing, upstream dam building, and treaty expirations create geopolitical friction. Conclude with a recommendation for integrated, basin-wide hydro-diplomacy under climate change.

Model answer

423 words

Introduction

South Asia’s hydrology, anchored in the Himalayan 'Water Tower of Asia', supports over 1.5 billion people across major shared river basins like the Indus and the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM). These transboundary water resources serve simultaneously as a foundation for economic integration and energy security, and as a volatile trigger for geopolitical friction among riparian neighbours.

Water as an Asset: Riparian Cooperation and Development

Shared river systems offer substantial regional public goods when harnessed through bilateral and multilateral frameworks:

  • Hydropower Synergy: Bilateral cooperation between India and Bhutan has operationalised major hydro-electric projects (such as Chukha, Kurichhu, and Tala), generating export revenue for Bhutan and clean peaking power for India. Similarly, the India-Nepal Mahakali Treaty envisions the 6,480 MW Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (PMP) for power and irrigation.
  • Inland Navigation and Regional Connectivity: The India-Bangladesh Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT) utilises the inland waterways of the GBM basin, reducing freight costs and improving sub-regional trade connectivity with India's North Eastern states.
  • Institutionalised Data Sharing: Bilateral mechanisms such as the India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) enable hydrological data exchange and advance flood warnings, saving lives and protecting agrarian livelihoods.

Water as a Source of Conflict: Riparian Geopolitics

Unequal geographic distribution, upstream control, and seasonal flow variations generate acute bilateral tensions:

  • Bilateral Friction and Treaty Strains: The Indus Waters Treaty (1960) between India and Pakistan has faced persistent friction over run-of-the-river hydroelectric installations like Kishanganga and Ratle, leading to disputes over dispute-resolution mechanisms. Between India and Bangladesh, the unresolved sharing of the Teesta River remains a sensitive diplomatic bottleneck.
  • Upstream Hegemony: China's unilateral construction of cascade dams on the Yarlung Tsangpo (the upper stretch of the Brahmaputra) in the Tibetan plateau, including projects like the Zangmu Dam, raises concerns downstream in India and Bangladesh regarding silt deprivation, flow manipulation, and lack of transparent water-data sharing.
  • Impending Treaty Expirations: The 1996 Ganga Water Treaty between India and Bangladesh approaches its 30-year expiry in December 2026, requiring complex renegotiations amid domestic water demands from Indian riparian states like West Bengal and Bihar.

Climate Change: The Threat Multiplier

Himalayan glacier retreat, changing monsoon patterns, and increased frequency of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and droughts intensify dry-season scarcity. This ecological volatility turns water allocation into a zero-sum calculation among riparian nations.

Conclusion

To safeguard regional stability, South Asian nations must transition from zero-sum, bilateral hydro-politics toward integrated, basin-wide hydro-diplomacy. Joint watershed management, transparent hydrological data sharing, and ecological conservation frameworks will be essential to ensure water serves as a bridge for collective climate resilience rather than a catalyst for conflict.

Key facts to remember

example
India-Bhutan Hydropower Cooperation

Joint hydro projects like Chukha, Tala, and Mangdechhu illustrate mutually beneficial riparian cooperation, powering Indian industrial zones while supplying a major share of Bhutan's fiscal revenue and GDP.

scheme
Ganga Water Treaty (1996)

A 30-year bilateral agreement between India and Bangladesh determining the formula for sharing Ganga waters at the Farakka Barrage during the lean season, scheduled to expire in December 2026.

case study
Indus Waters Treaty Dispute Over Kishenganga and Ratle

Disagreements over design specifications of India's run-of-the-river plants on the Jhelum and Chenab tributaries prompted Pakistan to seek arbitration, testing the three-tiered dispute settlement mechanism established in the 1960 treaty.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the Teesta River water-sharing agreement stalled between India and Bangladesh?

While a draft agreement was negotiated in 2011 to allocate lean-season flows, final ratification remains stalled primarily due to domestic federal objections from the state government of West Bengal regarding water availability for its northern districts.

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