Trans-boundary rivers between Nepal and India have long signified both cooperation and dispute. Though both countries are highly interested in mutual cooperation for the development of the shared rivers, their attempt to bring things to a successful solution has been hampered by debate. Several treaties and agreements have been signed over time by these countries, such as the Koshi Agreement, the Mahakali Treaty, the Gandak Agreement, etc. While some of these have generated positive outcomes, others are languishing, for reasons political rather than technical. Nepal is not able to harness its water resources, while India is seeking cooperation in order to utilise the shared water. Lack of trust, negotiations and compromise along with vested political interests have affected the degree of cooperation over shared rivers between India and Nepal. To make cooperation more fruitful, the two countries first need to build trust, identify the merits and demerits, compromise for the sake of the common good, share information with each other and implement the mutually agreed upon cooperation package. The essays in this volume bring together a spectrum of viewpoints on this issue. This volume is the outcome of an international conference on this subject organised by the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, Kolkata (MAKAIAS) in collaboration with the B. P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation, Embassy of India.

Since its establishment as a policy research institute in 1990, the Institute for In- grated Development Studies (IIDS) has been engaged in promoting public awa- ness and understanding of issues of national importance by undertaking studies and research on contemporary themes. It has been disseminating findings of its studies to policymakers in the public and private sectors and ultimately to the public at large. Water resources is one of the areas of strong public interest in Nepal. It is cons- ered a potent engine of economic growth. Its optimal use is dependent on, among other things, the cooperation among the riparian countries, especially India and Bangladesh. Water resources development is one of the subjects in which the Ins- tute has been engaged since its beginning by undertaking studies through national professionals and joint studies on the water resources of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna river basins with policy research institutes from India and Bangladesh. In order to help policymakers to develop long-term perspectives of the need for cooperation for optimal use of water available in the tributaries of the Ganges, the Institute was involved in a major track-two exercise for over five years during the 1990s. The Institute has been undertaking a series of exercises in the form of p- lication and dissemination of study findings in the field since the early 1990‘s. In that series, this book is the latest one and is published in collaboration with Springer Science + Business Media BV, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

'Conflict and Cooperation on South Asia's International Rivers' traces the development of international water law. This book focuses on the hydro-politics of four countries in the South Asia region: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. It analyzes the problems that these countries have encountered as riparians of international rivers and how they have addressed these problems. In particular, this study reviews the treaty regimes governing the Indus River basin, the Ganges River basin, and the Kosi, Gandaki, and Mahakali river basins. Each of these regimes is described in-depth, with special attention devoted to the main problems each of these treaties sought to address. The authors also review the treaty experience and offer observations on bilateralism and multilateralism.

Scientific evidence shows that most glaciers in South Asia's Hindu Kush Himalayan region are retreating, but the consequences for the region's water supply are unclear, this report finds. The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is the location of several of Asia's great river systems, which provide water for drinking, irrigation, and other uses for about 1.5 billion people. Recent studies show that at lower elevations, glacial retreat is unlikely to cause significant changes in water availability over the next several decades, but other factors, including groundwater depletion and increasing human water use, could have a greater impact. Higher elevation areas could experience altered water flow in some river basins if current rates of glacial retreat continue, but shifts in the location, intensity, and variability of rain and snow due to climate change will likely have a greater impact on regional water supplies. Himalayan Glaciers: Climate Change, Water Resources, and Water Security makes recommendations and sets guidelines for the future of climate change and water security in the Himalayan Region. This report emphasizes that social changes, such as changing patterns of water use and water management decisions, are likely to have at least as much of an impact on water demand as environmental factors do on water supply. Water scarcity will likely affect the rural and urban poor most severely, as these groups have the least capacity to move to new locations as needed. It is predicted that the region will become increasingly urbanized as cities expand to absorb migrants in search of economic opportunities. As living standards and populations rise, water use will likely increase-for example, as more people have diets rich in meat, more water will be needed for agricultural use. The effects of future climate change could further exacerbate water stress. Himalayan Glaciers: Climate Change, Water Resources, and Water Security explains that changes in the availability of water resources could play an increasing role in political tensions, especially if existing water management institutions do not better account for the social, economic, and ecological complexities of the region. To effectively respond to the effects of climate change, water management systems will need to take into account the social, economic, and ecological complexities of the region. This means it will be important to expand research and monitoring programs to gather more detailed, consistent, and accurate data on demographics, water supply, demand, and scarcity.

This book examines India’s transboundary river water disputes with its South Asian riparian neighbours — Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. It explores the history of disputes and cooperation over the transboundary river water in this region as well as discusses current disputes and future concerns. It analyses how and why existing transboundary river water sharing treaties between India and its South Asian riparian neighbours are confronted with challenges. The book indicates that India’s transboundary river water disputes with its South Asian riparian neighbours are likely to escalate in coming years due to the widening of the demand¬–supply gap in the respective countries. It further shows the impact of bilateral relations on the resolution of transboundary river water disputes, even as cordial relationships do not always guarantee the absence of river water disputes between riparian states. The book looks at some key questions: How political are India’s transboundary rivers water disputes in South Asia? Why do the roots of India’s river water disputes with Bangladesh and Pakistan lie in the partition of the British India in 1947? Why are there reservations against India’s hydroelectricity projects or allegations of water theft? Is it possible to resolve transboundary river water disputes among these South Asian countries? This book will greatly interest scholars and researchers working in the areas of river management, environmental politics, transnationalism, water resources, politics and international relations, security studies, peace and conflict studies, geopolitics, development studies, governance and public administration, and South Asian studies in addition to policymakers and journalists.

Contributed articles presented earlier in a seminar.

International organisations such as the World Bank began to intervene in the transboundary water governance of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river basin in the mid-2000s, and the South Asia Water Initiative (SAWI) is its most ambitious project in this regard. Yet neither SAWI nor other international initiatives, such as those of the Australian and UK governments, have been able to significantly improve transboundary water interaction between India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. This book identifies factors that contribute to water conflicts and that detract from water cooperation in this region. It sheds light on how international organisations affect these transboundary water interactions. The book discusses how donor-led initiatives can better engage with transboundary hydropolitics to increase cooperation and decrease conflict over shared freshwater resources. It is shown that there are several challenges: addressing transboundary water issues is not a top priority for the riparian states; there is concern about India’s hydro-hegemony and China's influence; and international actors in general do not have substantial support of the local elites. However, the book suggests some ways forward for improving transboundary water interaction. These include: addressing the political context and historical grievances; building trust and reducing power asymmetry between riparian states; creating political will for cooperation; de-securitising water; taking a problemshed view; strengthening water sharing institutions; and moving beyond narratives of water scarcity and supply-side solutions.