Document Type
Article
Abstract
Conflict over water resources is rare and has not occurred for thousands of years. However, the dynamics in South Asia are changing so rapidly that a conflict in the not-so-near future may be unavoidable. Water shortages could have the nonlinear effects of food shortages, political instability, migration problems, and diminished economic growth. All of these factors, caused by water shortages, could be a driver of conflict in the region, causing territorial disputes. Global instability would be sure to follow as both the U.S., attempting to protect their national security interests, and China, reacting as the regional power, tries to intervene. Further complicating matters is the uncontrolled population growth and decline in public sanitation in South Asia. This paper presents two scenarios of what may occur and then provides a discussion of how the key stakeholders in the region are likely to react.
Repository Citation
Chandrasekara, Ray, and John M. Polimeni. "Water, Development, and State Security in South Asia: Scenarios for China and India." Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture vol. 6, no. 3, 2006, pp. 1–22. https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/reconstruction/vol6/iss3/7
Included in
Asian Studies Commons, Defense and Security Studies Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, International Relations Commons, Water Resource Management Commons