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

Jan 24, 2026 | Jamal Khan
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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.