Commercial approach and river-related conflicts in South Asia

Chapter 5 uses the experience of South Asia to illustrate how the Commercial approach leads to conflicts among co-riparian countries. It notes that river basins were fragmented in South Asia by borders that were drawn based on political considerations and not physical geography. While greater cooperation among South Asian countries was necessary to protect the river basins, adoption of the Commercial approach led to more conflicts than cooperation. India, which lies at the center of the region, has borders with most South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan and finds itself in conflict with all of them. The chapter focuses on the most serious and numerous conflicts, which are with Bangladesh, and center on such major water diversionary barrages as the Farakka Barrage and the Gajoldoba Barrage. It notes that India’s proposed River Linking Project is only likely to aggravate these conflicts. The chapter also reviews India’s conflicts with Nepal and Bhutan regarding sharing the costs and benefits of the dams that it has constructed under joint ventures as well as conflicts with Pakistan over sharing the Indus River. Finally, the chapter notes the burgeoning conflicts with China regarding the Brahmaputra River.