Water Scarcity in South Asia: A Potential Conflict of Future Decades

Abstract

The issue of water has a central position in world politics. The flow of trans-boundary water makes it relevant for more than one state. Rapid increase in world population, industrialization, urbanization and scarcity of fresh water resources has put immense pressure on water resources, both surface and ground water. South Asia is the part of world inhabiting about one quarter of global population and presenting to the world most volatile conflicts. Interstate hydro politics is today one of the most important issues on states’ agenda. The partition plan of India and Pakistan sowed the seed of this conflict. The other states of South Asia i-e, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal are also in a constant rift with India over water. This paper tries to explore the causes of this conflict, the intensity which water scarcity has assumed and its implications for regional relations. The research has suggested water governance as a solution to this issue on part of all states for internal management of water resources.