Impact of Hydro-Politics and Kashmir issue on bilateral relations of India and Pakistan

Abstract

This study primarily focuses on developing an exclusive model, generally explaining the importance of international rivers in the relationships of the nations and particularly interlinked conflict over Kashmir and the Indus River. Conflict is a fact among nations caused because of disputed lands or un-decided borders linked to valuable resources or due to political and ideological differences. Historical differences between Pakistan and India especially about water distributions can leads them towards war. So far, they had fought three wars due to Kashmir's un-resolved issue and an upcoming one could be forecasted to control water resources originating from occupied Kashmir. According to the neo-realistic point of view, this study examines the conflicting interests among India and Pakistan, which are related to Kashmir, and claims that it is not just religious but also geographical as it is connected to the control of river waters. There is very limited significant research present that primarily focuses on this facet of India and Pakistan’s relations. The current literature expresses their conflict as of ideological, cultural, and political nature. This model-based research addresses the relationship of water and other related sources to war and peace through a rational research method demonstrated by broadly observed data.