South Asian trans-boundary issues are inextricably linked to regional geopolitics since the main trans-national river systems are circum-Himalayan and involve countries that are unequal in size and power and have been involved in wars in the last six decades. The main river systems, the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra are all connected to the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China. The Indus basin connects China, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, while the
Brahmaputra and the Ganga connect China, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. India has been involved in military conflict with China and Pakistan and water-related tensions with Pakistan and Bangladesh. India regards Nepal as its special sphere of influence and has very strong interests in Nepal’s rivers.