Power Dynamics and Equitable Resource Allocation in India and Pakistan Water Dispute: A Climate Change Perspective

Abstract

This discussion looks at how the upstream location of India and unequal distribution of power impacts equitable distribution of water resources under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), and hence expounds on the implications of distributive justice. Climate change increases stress on the local hydrological resources; the melting of glaciers, unpredictable monsoon, and rising water demand contribute to the scarcity, which increases the tension between the co-riparian states. The paper illustrates that geopolitical tensions and environmental destruction undermine cross-border water management by using the Theory of Environmentalism in International Relations (TEIR), the concept of hydro-hegemony, and the environmental security paradigm. The current research aims at making a contribution towards the design of viable and fair water governance systems in climate prone areas to deal with imbalances in power and the realities of the environment. It promotes the rearrangement of equitable water sharing by adaptive governance, climate resilience, and collaborative mechanisms, which adds to the discussion on environmental security in South Asia and calls on the integration of ecological concerns into transboundary water diplomacy in order to reduce conflict and enhance stability in the region.