Water holds the Key in Himalayas

Recent skirmishes between the red Army of China and India troops in the union territory of Ladakh and strategic investments by the Chinese government in various hydro projects in the Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan Jammu & Kashmir, raised an alarm for the water security in India. The water security of the fresh water adobe of Himalayas should be protected. At this critical junction, there is need of rethinking of India’s sovereign water diplomatic policies.

India, the largest democracy of the globe always finds difficulties in resolution of water conflict with military ruled Pakistan ad one party communist regime in China.

Recent water disputes between India and neighbouring countries highlights the historical burden of colonial past of the Indian subcontinent. Complex and confounded border demarcations and use of dynamic water bodies for bordering of the states by the Britisher, still daunting India effort of peace coexistence.

Equivalent economic, military, scientific and engineering capabilities of negotiating parties give a mutual satisfaction of the negotiating parties. Asymmetrical capabilities of neighbouring states specially like Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan, generate a feeling of insecurities and non-satisfaction for the any water resolution process.

Outcome of any water conflict results in some treaties, conventions or just an approval for specific project. However, outcome of any resolution must be judged on the basis of optimal economical, ecological and social contexts.

India, the divine land blessed with the aquatic, ecological and social diversity. India accounts for 18% of the world population and about 4% of the world’s water resources. Himalayan mountain series is the major source of fresh water in the region. More than 1.4 billion people depend on water from the rivers of the Himalaya. Geographically, these Himalayan ranges are distributed in India, Nepal, China, Bhutan and Pakistan occupied territories of Jammu and Kashmir. So, there is network of rivers originating in one country that enriching the lands of other country. Interestingly, many of these countries have boundary disputes with each other.

The Himalayas are source of nineteen major rivers, out of which Indus Brahmaputra is the largest, each having catchment basins in the mountains of about 100,000 square miles (260,000 square km) in extent. However, the source of both these mighty rivers are China occupied Tibetan Plateau. Indus and Brahmaputra both originate at divine Lake Manasarovar at Chinese occupied Tibetan plateau. Indus run across Himalayan ranges enters in Ladakh region of India and flow toward Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan occupied Jammu & Kashmir, finally takes a southern direction enriching Pakistan land with fertile soil and water before merging into Arabian Sea.

The Himalayas are source of nineteen major rivers, out of which Indus Brahmaputra is the largest, each having catchment basins in the mountains of about 100,000 square miles (260,000 square km) in extent. However, the source of both these mighty rivers are China occupied Tibetan Plateau

While Brahmaputra after flowing along south Tibet enters in Arunachal Pradesh in India. Thereafter, flows southwest along Assam and south in Bangladesh. Both the branches meet with the Ganga river in Bangladesh, making the great delta of Ganga Brahmaputra, making this region highly fertile before entering in Bay of Bengal.

Having highest population and rapid industrialisation, India and China need more and more water for Agriculture, Industry and drinking purposes. That’s why both the countries are investing in big projects in the region for meeting up with the energy demands and agricultural needs.

Being an upper riparian country, Chinese communist regime always practices Harmon doctoring i.e., upstream nation can freely utilise a river’s flow within its boundaries without considering the effect on a downstream state as absolute sovereign water policy rather than the multilateral framework approach for water negotiation. Economic development of Chinese economy enables them to build biggest dams on these rivers. In January 2013, China approved mega dam projects on the Brahmaputra River as part of its 12th Five-Year Plan threaten its neighbour. Dam projects such as Zangmu Dam (510 MW), on river Yarlung Tsangpo, the upper stream of Brahmaputra river near India-Bhutan border, Lalho project in Xigazê (near Sikkim), undeclared under construction dams of Brahmaputra Dagu Dam, Jiacha Dam, Jeixu dam poses a serious threat to ecological hotspot eastern Himalaya of India. These large dams are capable enough to control the flow of river that may turn mighty Brahmaputra in to seasonal river in India, affecting livelihood of millions.

Although, India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China in 2002, for the sustainable sharing of hydrological information of the Brahmaputra River. However, during Doklam standoff in 2017, China has refused to share the flood data with India. It is evident that in absence of any signed treaty between China and India, China uses its upper riparian status or its political leverages.

On the west front, Chinese state-run firm China Power and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), a commercial arm of Pakistan’s powerful military has signed a contract of worth USD 5.8 Billion dollar for the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam (4800 MW) on Indus River in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) despite objection from India.

Although, India has a formal Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan. In 1969, Indian Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Ayub Khan.

After nine years of negotiation between India and Pakistan brokered by Word Bank user right of six major trans-boundary rivers have been finalised. The Treaty gives control over the waters of the three eastern rivers the Beas, Ravi and Sutlej to India, while control over the waters of the three western rivers the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum to Pakistan. Although being an upper riparian state India has a control over the flow of Indus River. However, Pakistan was allocated with 84 % of total water. Indian has given a limited right over western rivers for limited irrigation and non-consumption all uses such as hydropower, navigation and fish farming. Despite three consecutive wars between India and Pakistan and Pakistan’s role in terrorism activities in India, India as a responsible country, abides all the regulation of Indus water treaty. India However, Pakistan and China continuously use water resources as a foreign policy tool against India.

Run of the River (ROR) hydroelectric project, on the Kishanganga River in union territory of Jammu& Kashmir is an example of comprehensive nature of synergistic approach for the resolution of water conflict. With the commencement of the project in 2007, Pakistan raised objection on project, citing the probable retarding downstream flow rate of Kishanganga river. Pakistani diplomats tried this opportunity to tarnish the image of India in international arena Pakistan raised this matter in Hague based Permanent Court of Arbitration (CoA). Integrative efforts by the hydrologists, engineers, environmental scientist, social scientist, diplomatic efforts of India result into successful defence at CoA and thereafter a favourable judgement. The CoA upheld India’s right to build a hydropower project on Kishanganga river ensuring a minimum flow of nine meter cube per second downstream to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

It is clearly evident that India never used water diplomacy as an effective tool of its foreign policy. However, Prime Minister Modi led government has already redefined India’s traditional sluggish foreign diplomacy. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has successfully completed and commissioned the project by 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the project on May 2018.

Formation of Ministry of Jal Shakti in May 2019, clearly indicate the priority of the present government for the solution of intense water crisis in India. India is looking for a long time solution of hydropower energy, efficient water-ways and inter state water conflict management.

Simultaneously, India need to integrate water diplomatic efforts in its foreign affairs and diplomacy. India need to group with other lower riparian states of Brahmaputra Basin such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar to counterbalance the Chinese hydro-hegemonic attitude. Other hand India should reach out to the countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Loas and Vietnam, the prospective sufferer of Mekong River Project of China.

Mekong river is a trans-boundary river which after origination in Tibetan Plateau runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Mekong river is a source of irrigation, fisherman and navigation for lower riparian states. However, Chinese progression for the construction of Ten hydropower dams feared the critics. In the absence of any international treaty between China and lower riparian states, China could use dams to control Mekong river flow. Huge fluctuation in downstream water flow, devastating life of millions, has already been reported near Jinghong Dam near China-Thailand border. In this scenario these densely population south Asian countries only relies the goodwill of China, making them prone to the Chinese water diplomacy. Chinese leverage over these countries could be used in India’s interest in this region.

Sharing of the hydrological, engineering, economical, computational modelling and ecological knowledge could help these countries for successful negotiation with China.

There is an urgent need for the investigation of the linkage of Chinese water diplomacy in this region with the ambitious One Road One Belt (OBOR) plan of neo-colonial Chinese regime. Hydrological and Ecological imbalance of OBOR should be uncovered to the global community. It is a high time to integrate water diplomacy element to construct a framework of water negotiation among the SAARC countries. A regional water sharing framework and treaty could be developed incorporation the social, economical, historical and environmental concerns of this part of the globe. With an efficient water diplomacy, India can ensure a sustainable water future for our country and friendly neighbourhood.

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