WATER CONFLICT IN CENTRAL ASIA: IMPACTS ON INTER-STATE RELATIONS

Abstract

Water is the central resource involved in one of the world’s greatest human-induced ecological disaster: The desiccation of Aral Sea in Central Asia had brought enormous water related issue leading to the conflict among Central Asian countries. This paper analyses the root causes & impacts of the water crisis issue over Central Asian Inter- State relations and argues that tensions over water have “spilled -over” in Central Asia, creating an uneasy political climate and that has slowed down co-operation. The Paper significantly highlights co-operation in among Central Asian states and impact of water crisis on their inter-state relations. A case study is taken to show how water crisis made compel Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to securitize this issue and how their interest and relations impacted. This paper is crucial to understand the present condition of water crisis and how it is being dealt in the region