Introduction
“Water” which is the most critical natural resource is fastly emerging as a central component of global and regional geopolitics, specifically in south asia.
Passing international rivers such as the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, through national boundaries, the “Water Diplomacy” has become the main point of attention for India’s regional relations. Aspects of cooperation and engagement with neighbouring countries need to be balanced along with the national interests keeping in mind the motto of sovereignty, security and sustainability.
Issues such as China’s dam construction on upper streams of brahmaputra river, Pakistan’s judicial issues under Indus water treaty, Bangladesh’s aspirations for teesta river, have already raised alarming concerns for India.
India’s Unique Position as an Upstream and Downstream State
India holds a hydrologically singular position — as an upper riparian state (to Pakistan and Bangladesh) and also as a lower riparian state (to Nepal and China). It is this dual status that puts India in the center of South Asia’s transboundary water matrix. This, in turn, demands that India promotes regional trust and cooperation with a careful approach that secures India’s national interests.
Indus Waters Treaty (IWT): Cooperation Amidst Conflict
Mediated by the World bank , it was signed in 1960. This treaty stands as one of the most important water sharing agreements. India has monopoly of east flowing rivers– ravi, beas and sutlej and Pakistan has monopoly of west flowing rivers– Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. Amid issues over the treaty over decades, the treaty has been running for more than six decades.
However, India has frequently protested Pakistan’s activities against the hydroelectric initiatives such as Kishenganga and Ratle projects.
After the Uri attack of 2016, PM Narendra Modi has said that “ Blood and water cannot flow together” , which shows India’s confident approach of using water as her strategic weapon.
India-Bangladesh: Cooperation with Challenges
Despite facing some diplomatic hurdles, India and Bangladesh’s water treaty witnessed a glimpse of successful cooperation. The Ganga Water Sharing treaty was signed which was the result of the 1996 summit. It is a 30 year treaty guaranteeing fair sharing of ganga waters at farakka.
However, Teesta river issue has continued to create issues in the relationship. Despite having many negotiations, the issue is still not resolved because of the resistance faced from west bengal. The issue has also opened space for Chinese diplomatic leverage in dhaka. Amid all these tensions, cooperation in other sectors, real time flood forecasting and monsoon data sharing remains a stabilising factor in the relationship.
India-Nepal: Potential vs. Political Hurdles
India and Nepal are endowed with over 6,000 rivers and rivulets that hold huge promises for the generation of hydropower, irrigation, and flood management. The 1996 Mahakali Treaty sought to institutionalize cooperation, but the pace has been slow. Mega-sized schemes such as the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project are incomplete because of political mistrust, slippages in compensation mechanisms, and issues of project control and benefits.
Nepal has long accused India of slow implementation and unequal share of project benefits. Simultaneously India also worries about the growing Chinese presence in Nepal’s water infrastructure. There should be a balanced approach– having respect for sovereignty and developmental aspirations of each side and mixing equitable partnership terms.
India-Bhutan: A Model of Hydropower Cooperation
India and Bhutan’s water diplomacy is widely seen as a successful beneficial partnership. Since 1980s , India has supported bhutan in constructing major hydropower projects such as the chukha, tala, the twin punatsangchhu I and II and the most recent one – Kholongchhu project
Along with stable source of revenue to bhutan by sale of surplus electricity to India, it has also helped India to meet its growing demand of clean and renewable sources
India-China: Strategic Competition on the Brahmaputra
The Brahmaputra river which is also known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet has its source in China and flows into Bangladesh and India. However , China’s proposal to construct a 60,000 MW “Super dam” has raised alarming concerns for India.It can cause a dip in water availability in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh , and can pose threats in seismically active zones.
India has repeatedly requested China to transition towards a greater openness and multilateralism of approach, covering data sharing over hydrological patterns and environmental studies on the possible impact of huge water projects. China’s propensity for bilateral agreement on data and its nonmembership in any global water treaty confine the fields of organized collaboration. India responded by investing efforts to build endogenous water assets, intensify hydro-diplomatic outreach in neighbours such as Bangladesh and Nepal, and up the surveillance as well as catastrophe-readiness for its northeastern outposts.
Challenges to India’s Approach
Even with such successes, water diplomacy in India is confronted by major challenges. Federal tensions like the Centre-WB standoff on the Teesta issue slow global-level negotiations. Climate change becomes another major hurdle by altering the flow of rivers, raising flood and drought occurrences, and making long-term planning difficult. Delays in and cost overruns on hydropower infrastructure projects in Nepal and Bhutan further undermine India’s reliability projection. Moreover, China’s unilateral and opaque orientation towards transboundary rivers creates an added layer of complexity in India’s regional strategy.
The Way Forward
In order to fortify its water diplomacy, India has to institutionalize strong data-sharing between states in all river basins, including real-time flood and sediment monitoring systems. A federal consensus mechanism is necessary to harmonize state and national interests, especially in politically charged instances such as that of the Teesta.
Reviving regional forums such as the SAARC Water Initiative may also assist in building regional debate and collective paradigms. Active engagement with China is also essential — India needs to consistently push for openness, mutual monitoring, and adherence to global standards. At the same time, investments within the country in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as smart dams and early warning systems, are necessary to adapt to shifting hydro-climatic patterns.
Conclusion
India’s water diplomacy is not just about rivers — it is about power, peace, and partnerships. As water stress increases across the world, India needs to assert its upstream rights while embracing cooperation with humility and foresight. With China’s increasing hydro-hegemony and regional uncertainties, New Delhi has to develop a water doctrine that is technically robust, diplomatically nimble, and geopolitically astute. India’s destiny as a regional power will increasingly turn on how it distributes — and defends — the waters that bind and separate South Asia.