Game Theory and Networks in Relation to India-Bangladesh Water Dispute
For several years, there has been a conflict between Bangladesh and India on rights over the 54 rivers shared between the two nations. These rivers are a significant but limited resource to both countries for agriculture, fishery, and navigation. Particularly, in Bangladesh, these rivers prevent saltwater intrusion. There has been ongoing discussion and political debate over how to share the Ganges and the Teesta. Both governments have been working to secure their own nation’s water security but must work together and form treaties to do so, because any actions and usages of the rivers will affect both countries’ societies and economies. The game in this situation is mainly in the hands of the governments, with the players being the prime ministers of their respective countries. The strategies for each player relates to how much of the river resources they will occupy. They can choose to take more or less of the water, or split it evenly. The outcome with greatest benefit to both players is evenly splitting the water into 1/2 and 1/2. However, this leaves each country with an incentive to take more of the precious resource, to take 3/4 rather than 2/4.
There is a power imbalance in this network, due to the fact that the major rivers flow downstream from India to Bangladesh. Since the rivers flow from the Himalayas, India has first access to these major rivers and any side effects of their actions will trickle down the Bay of Bengal and into Bangladesh. This means Bangladesh would suffer the brunt of water pollution. If India constructs water dams or goes back on its agreements, the people of Bangladesh would be faced with great hardship from reduced water resources. In these ways, Bangladesh is at a disadvantage and has fewer options to access pure water resources compared to India. This results in the heart of the conflict. Since India has first access, it has every incentive to take the greater share of the river and do as it pleases. This leaves Bangladesh only able to respond and strategize based on what India does.
Latest water-sharing deal between Bangladesh, India is ‘drop in the ocean’