Keywords
Brahmaputra River Basin
India China Relation
Climate Security
How to Cite
Abstract
South Asia is home to one of the strategically significant river basin, the Brahmaputra River Basin which is a major bone of contention between the two major powers India and China. The article explores climate security issues arising in the river basin as a result of hydropolitics between the two countries. Determined by geopolitical conflicts and economic rivalry and absence of no clear treaty on sharing water resources, management of water resources has seen cooperation at peace times and disruption at times of conflict. China being the upper riparian country has significant control over the river basin and has denied hydrological data on number of occasions and has constructed several dams in its quest for cleaner energy which has the potential to socio economically impact the downstream countries in Brahmaputra Basin. At this backdrop, drawing on the securitization theory, the study analyses how hydropolitics between the two Asian powers has been defining climate security in the Brahmaputra River Basin and its consequences in the South Asian region. Heightened floods during the monsoons and water scarcity during drought times have affected human lives and livelihood in the river basin. Additionally the entire South Asian region seems to be at climate risk in the coming years owing to these climate risks.
Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative approach drawing upon scholarly articles and policy documents from 2015-2025 where India China bilateral relations, hydropolitics and climate security in the Brahmaputra River Basin have been analysed. By intertwining securitization theory with hydropolitics the study contributes to the literature on climate security and transboundary water governance in South Asia.
The findings suggest that climate risks in the river basin and South Asia at large needs to be addressed through transboundary water cooperation by adopting climate change adaptation and mitigation policies through institutionalized mechanism between the two countries
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