About the talk
The paper aims to reorient the way cooperation and conflict are looked at in the context of inter-state rivers. The scarce scholarship looking at inter-state cooperation often extols the same by using the Telugu-Ganga project as a reference point. These conventional narratives oversimplify the rationales and motives behind cooperation and neglect to address the political projects propelling inter-state cooperation.
The paper provides analytical context by examining literature on transboundary water cooperation to establish critical factors. The extent to which India’s institutional and policy arrangements facilitate inter-state water cooperation is then appraised. Finally, a historical analysis of the Telugu Ganga project is undertaken to draw inferences about the convergence between the politics of water sharing and democratic politics.