Assessing the Role of World Bank in mediating the India-Pakistan Water Dispute

Abstract

Water is the key to agricultural economies of the countries that can be managed to meet the increasing demand. But, ever increasing demand for the shared water creates competition for its utilization, and, thereby, contributes to disputes. To utilize shared water resources, a dispute resolution mechanism seems essential, as it helps to manage the resources promptly and properly. In 1947, after the partition of the subcontinent in two geographical entities, India and Pakistan, India took the advantage of its upper riparian status, and discontinued the supply of water to Pakistan. This action became the reason for possible war threats between the two countries; however, few temporary ad-hoc agreements were made. The World Bank intervened only in 1950, whose negotiation led to a successful settlement of the dispute. Thus, this qualitative research design, using secondary data and reviewing published literature, aims to examine the negotiation process, and assess the role of the World Bank in mediating the Water Dispute between the two countries.