Hydro-politics in South Asia: A Conflict in the Making

Abstract

The importance of Indus System of Rivers for Pakistan and India and impact of the Partition on irrigation system existing on these Rivers before 1947 has to be kept in view, in order to appreciate the looming specter of water war in South Asia. Though Bangladesh also shares international rivers with India but there appears to be no conflict in the making between the two countries at the present, in this context. Discontinuing of supply of water in the canals flowing from India to Pakistan on 1st April 1948, in fact, precipitated one of the gravest international water disputes in the world. David E. Lilienthal suggested that the World Bank might use its good offices to bring the Parties to an agreement and help in arranging finances for an Indus Development Programme. Nearly a decade of negotiations resulted in the Indus Waters Treaty. For the first three years or so efforts were focused on finding a solution for joint development of the system of rivers for mutual benefit. Ultimately the Bank realized that in view of relations between the two countries that was not possible. The Bank, therefore, proposed allocation of three Eastern Rivers to India and the three Western Rivers to Pakistan, except for very limited rights of the other party on the Rivers thus allocated. The Treaty concluded in 1960 has been very successful and hassu rvived three wars between the Parties. Growth of population and resulting scarcity of water, deterioration of relations between the two countries and geopolitical developments in the region have brought the Treaty under stress. India’s policy of nibbling away the rights of Pakistan and obligations of India under the Treaty is, therefore, pushing things towards a conflict.