South Asia’s unresolved water disputes to prove costly

Subject

Water disputes in South Asia.

Significance

The deterioration in India-Pakistan relations is exacerbating their long-standing water dispute and testing the viability of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). High-stakes water disputes between India and Bangladesh, and India and China are also unresolved.

Impacts

• Population growth, coupled with climate change, will increase regional water tensions.
• Poor internal water management will deepen the water stress.
• Federal constraints in India will impede its cooperation with Bangladesh on the Teesta river dispute.