Re-imagining the Indus: A compilation of observations, lessons and insights across the border

Report Courtesy : Observer Research Foundation & Lahore University of Management Sciences

This report notes that while it was understandable that the Indus Water Treaty took the shape of a "riparian iron curtain" as it was part of the ’divorce settlement’ between India and Pakistan in 1947 and maximizing the ’use’ of water to build the nations was the driving theme, but now it is time to revisit the treaty, considering the ecological and sociological aspects which were overlooked during the Partition time.

The report points out that when the world is becoming more globalised and integrated, attaching the world ’security’ to everything from energy to water to food does not make sense. It says the idea of ’water security’ leads to the idea of ’water nationalism’ which essentially means that India and Pakistan must control water resources no matter what the cost. And under this paradigm, both countries will fight over water and continue to grow water-hungry grain and sugarcane in the water scarce Indus basin towards their quest for ’food security’. In this scenario, ’water nationalism’ will not only increase water insecurity for both countries but also contribute to broader insecurity in the South Asian region.

The report suggests that import of food grain, though highly controversial in relatively poor countries like India and Pakistan, is a viable back-up strategy which could enable both countries to adapt to water stress over the short term during periods of drought.