“Water resources are both an asset and a source of conflict in South Asia.” Examine this statement giving examples.
10 marks · answer in 150 words · directive: Examine
The core of a good answer
South Asia's shared Himalayan rivers sustain irrigation, hydropower and livelihoods and have produced durable treaties, but upstream and downstream asymmetries, growing demand and security tensions repeatedly turn them into sources of dispute.
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What the question asks
'Examine' with examples means testing both parts of the statement with concrete river basins and agreements, then judging the balance. The answer should cover India's neighbours on all sides, and show cooperation as well as conflict.
Answer outline
Introduction
The Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra basins are shared by China, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh and support some of the world's most densely populated farmlands.
Water as an asset
- Irrigation and food security in the Indus and Ganga plains.
- Hydropower: India-assisted projects in Bhutan (Chhukha 336 MW, Tala 1,020 MW, Mangdechhu 720 MW, Punatsangchhu-II 1,020 MW) export power to India.
- Treaties show water can be a basis for cooperation: Indus Waters Treaty (1960), Ganga Treaty (1996).
Water as a source of conflict
- India held the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance on 23 April 2025 after the Pahalgam attack; disputes over Kishenganga and Ratle had gone to a Court of Arbitration and a Neutral Expert.
- The Teesta water sharing agreement with Bangladesh proposed in 2011, remained unsigned as of 2023 because of objections from West Bengal.
- China began construction of the Medog project on the Yarlung Tsangpo on 19 July 2025, raising concerns in India and Bangladesh about flows and data sharing.
- Farakka Barrage (operational 1975) has been a long-standing grievance in Bangladesh.
Underlying drivers
- Upstream and downstream asymmetry, seasonal variability, glacier retreat, population growth and lack of basin-wide institutions.
- Water issues get linked to wider security and domestic politics.
Conclusion
Water in South Asia is an asset when it is managed through treaties, data sharing and joint projects, and a flashpoint when politics overrides basin cooperation; the Ganga Treaty, due to expire in December 2026, is a test of this.
Examples and data to cite
- Indus Waters Treaty, signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960 with the World Bank; eastern rivers to India, western rivers to Pakistan.
- Ganga Water Treaty, signed 12 December 1996 for 30 years, expiring December 2026; sets releases at Farakka for 1 January to 31 May.
- Medog hydropower project in Tibet: construction began 19 July 2025, planned capacity about 60 GW.
- Mangdechhu (720 MW, 2019) and Punatsangchhu-II (1,020 MW, 2025) in Bhutan built with Indian assistance.
Facts to remember
- Under the Indus Waters Treaty India has the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej; Pakistan the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, with limited Indian uses.
- India placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance on 23 April 2025.
- The Court of Arbitration gave a partial ruling on its competence on 6 July 2023.
- Farakka Barrage diverts Ganga water into the Hooghly to flush the Kolkata port.
Where it sits in the syllabus
- GS1: Resources and industrial location
Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).