Climate Change and the Indus Basin: Prospects of Cooperation between India and Pakistan

Climate change is transforming the global societies. The shift in average temperature is putting negative impacts on human health, food production and the natural resources. In the wake of the altered climate, water flow in the river systems is experiencing variability and uncertainty. This paper aims at studying the negative impacts of climate change on the water resources of the Indus Basin and investigate the prospects of cooperation between India and Pakistan; two major riparian nations sharing the basin. Adopting the case study approach, a theoretical framework has been built on the ‘Theory of the International Regimes’. It has been argued that institutional capacity and the dispute resolution mechanism provided in any water sharing agreement determine the extent of cooperation among the member states. Since India and Pakistan are bound by the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty, this study tries to assess the effectiveness of this agreement in managing the negative consequences of the climate change.