Shared Waters, Shared Fate

The Himalayan melt, collapsing aquifers and fragile governance demand a new regional water ethic grounded in basin cooperation, ecosystem restoration and negotiated trust

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Ancient Indian wisdom speaks about treaties, compacts and formal agreements between polities and regions covering governance, trade, diplomacy and even hydrology.

The Arthashastra has an entire theory of interstate diplomacy and agreements. Samudragupta’s Prayag Prashasti talks about diplomatic agreements that preserve local kingship and shows how inter-polity relations were actively managed through negotiated outcomes and not through annihilation. There are instances in the past where water was treated as a shared resource, governed by negotiated rights and overseen by local assemblies like the ur and sabha. Junagadh (Girnar) rock inscription of Rudradaman I (c. 150 CE) is hard evidence that large hydraulic systems ‘were repaired across time presenting water infrastructure as a core responsibility. The Kollum/Quilon Tarisapalli (Syrian Christian) copper plates of 849/850 CE) records a commercial-urban arrangement involving ruler, a merchant leader and guilds which regulated cross-regional trade by granting rights, immunities, institutional beneficiaries and protection obligations. ‘The Dharmashastra and Itihasa tradition contains Rajadharma rules about honouring agreements and oaths are taken before fire, water and gods to grant it legal sanctity.