WATER FOR PEACE: A COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK FOR THE INDUS RIVER BASIN

Abstract

This paper analyzes the strategic importance of water resources in the wider context of India-Pakistan relations, and in particular in the Indus River Basin, which is a lifeline for both states. Using a neo liberal theoretical approach, this study analyzes how the Indus River water conflict can be converted from a source of tension to a platform for cooperation and peacebuilding through the transboundary governance of the Indus River system. The study provides insight into the historical context, legal frameworks (e.g. the Indus Water Treaty and the evolving geopolitics between India and Pakistan) and the risk of water as a driver of conflict in South Asia, but also into the potential of collaborative water governance as a mitigation strategy. The paper calls for creative, cooperative solutions and suggests a multilateral institutional mechanism that not only deals with the equitable sharing of water resources, but also ensures long term stability and shared prosperity. The importance of international mediation, collective action, and long term diplomatic engagement is brought out in this study to ensure that water provides an instrument for peace rather than an instrument of international discord and provides a sustainable pathway for the resolution of complex water issues between India and Pakistan.

Keywords: Indus Waters Treaty, Hydropolitics, Climate Change, Water Security, Collaborative Water Governance