June 18, 2025
Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, Prayagraj, India

In June, the Sundar Singh Institute hosted a high-level policy dialogue on cross-border water management, bringing together government officials, environmental scientists, and legal experts from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. The meeting addressed the pressing challenges of equitable water sharing in transboundary river systems such as the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Teesta.

Opening the dialogue, Dr. Sanjeev Kapoor, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute, highlighted that climate change, population growth, and unsustainable infrastructure development have intensified disputes over water allocation. He stressed the urgency of cooperative frameworks to prevent resource scarcity from escalating into conflict.

Participants engaged in focused sessions on hydrological data sharing, legal frameworks for water treaties, and community-based flood management strategies. Case studies from Nepal and Bangladesh demonstrated the benefits of early warning systems and local participation in reducing flood-related damage.

One key outcome of the dialogue was the formation of a working group tasked with drafting a “South Asia Water Cooperation Roadmap” to be presented at the November 2025 ministerial summit in Dhaka. Delegates expressed optimism that this roadmap could pave the way for more transparent, equitable, and sustainable water governance in the region.