Water is sine qua non for life on the globe. From people’s prosperity to the existence of all species, the essentiality of water engulfs almost all dimensions of human life. Its abundance, however, can result in destruction and its shortage can result in food insecurity and other climate change-induced effects. Within this context, there is a growing concern in two South Asian states - Pakistan and India - about the potential impacts of water scarcity resulting in future water wars. For almost 200 million people of Pakistan, the Indus River is the main source of water. A rapid increase in the population over the past decades has also created new pressures on water that was once a plentiful resource for the health and development of the country. On the other hand, the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India, which share the Indus flow, may also lead to violent confrontation in an already turbulent part of the world. In this context, this paper will try to answer three significant questions: (i) How water insecurity can lead to regional insecurity of South Asia? (ii) How can India and Pakistan counter water stress, specifically in the case of Indus Water Treaty? (iii) What is the main purpose of the multi-purpose dams built by India along the Kabul River in Afghanistan and the Indus River and how does Pakistan strategize itself to counter Indian moves? Taking notes from theories of International Relations, Human Security Framework and Regional Security Complex Theory would prove as how water stress can result in a full fledge conflict between Indian and Pakistan.

Water is sine qua non for life on the globe. From people’s prosperity to the existence of all species, the essentiality of water engulfs almost all dimensions of human life. Its abundance, however, can result in destruction and its shortage can result in food insecurity and other climate change-induced effects. Within this context, there is a growing concern in two South Asian states - Pakistan and India - about the potential impacts of water scarcity resulting in future water wars. For almost 200 million people of Pakistan, the Indus River is the main source of water. A rapid increase in the population over the past decades has also created new pressures on water that was once a plentiful resource for the health and development of the country. On the other hand, the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India, which share the Indus flow, may also lead to violent confrontation in an already turbulent part of the world. In this context, this paper will try to answer three significant questions: (i) How water insecurity can lead to regional insecurity of South Asia? (ii) How can India and Pakistan counter water stress, specifically in the case of Indus Water Treaty? (iii) What is the main purpose of the multi-purpose dams built by India along the Kabul River in Afghanistan and the Indus River and how does Pakistan strategize itself to counter Indian moves? Taking notes from theories of International Relations, Human Security Framework and Regional Security Complex Theory would prove as how water stress can result in a full fledge conflict between Indian and Pakistan.