Left, right and centre – Policy note n°5 – Rivers, resilience, and rivalries: How the Indus Waters Treaty shapes regional security in South Asia

Setting the Research Agenda Brief and commentary

The fifth article in our series “Left, Right and Centre” analyses how the Indus basin functions not merely as a hydrological system, but as a space where governance, politics, and environmental variability intersect, a dynamic seen in transboundary rivers worldwide. Shared by four countries and anchored in disputed Kashmir, the basin has long relied on the Indus Waters Treaty to manage conflict.

The Indus River system is one of the largest transboundary river systems in South Asia, stretching over 3,200 km. The basin is shared by four countries: Pakistan, India, China, and Afghanistan. The basin has the second largest catchment area in the world (11,200,00 km2), and it supports nearly 268 million people and sustains life across the rugged terrains of the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalayan Mountain ranges, making it an indispensable resource for the region. The Indus basin is also one of the most stressed river basins in the world, because of its complex geopolitical situation, increasing urbanisation, climate change and population growth especially in the lower riparian country (Pakistan).

Dive into the full analysis by downloading the document below.