The Looming Hydrological Crisis: How Water Weaponization Threatens Regional Stability and International Order

Author: Jamal Khan

Rising tensions over shared rivers in South Asia highlight how water management disputes increasingly threaten regional stability, human security, and broader international order.

In 21st-century geopolitics, warfare is no longer limited to tanks, missiles, or air power. A quieter but potentially more devastating threat is emerging; the weaponization of water. Control over transboundary rivers is increasingly used to exert political pressure, undermine economies, and destabilize societies.