Afghanistan, Jan. 24 -- 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. Recent developments in South Asia highlight how life-sustaining waterways are being transformed into strategic instruments of coercion.
This risk was underscored on December 18, 2025, when Pakistan's Deputy Pr...