ALTERNATIVE INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS: MANAGING TRANSBOUNDARY WATER RESOURCES IN SOUTH ASIA.

It has been widely acknowledged that transboundary water resources are an issue of importance in northern South Asia and that water sharing is contentious both between and within the countries of the region. However, while much has been written about relations between the governments of the region and the various water-sharing treaties that have been enacted at different points in time, there has been little analysis devoted to alternative institutional arrangements that might enhance the effectiveness of regional cooperation. While the ongoing political fragmentation of the Indian subcontinent presents significant obstacles to the formation of such institutions, this article argues that a new, transparent regionalism will contribute to a more just and equitable distribution of these water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]