From Competition to Cooperation: The Case for a Joint Indus Basin Authority

Abstract

The Indus River Basin, a vital resource supporting 300 million people across South Asia, faces escalating threats from climate change, population growth, and outdated governance under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). This article proposes a Joint Indus Basin Authority (JIBA) as a transformative framework to replace competition with cooperation. JIBA would integrate lessons from global models like the Mekong River Commission and Nile Basin Initiative, emphasizing shared benefits (hydropower trade, climate-resilient agriculture), institutional innovation (adaptive governance, transparent data-sharing), and equitable resource management. By addressing the IWT’s gaps exclusion of groundwater and climate adaptation, bilateral limitations JIBA could foster regional stability through technical collaboration (joint monitoring, flood forecasting) and political confidence-building (phased negotiations, third-party mediation). The article outlines JIBA’s governance structure, benefit-sharing mechanisms, and implementation roadmap, arguing that cooperative water diplomacy is not just economically and environmentally imperative but also a strategic opportunity to redefine India-Pakistan relations.

Keywords:Indus River Basin, Transboundary Water Cooperation, Joint Indus Basin Authority, Indus Waters Treaty, Climate Adaptation, Benefit-Sharing, Water Diplomacy, India-Pakistan Relations