At an elevation of over 4,500 metres, the Tibetan Plateau stores more freshwater than anywhere on the Earth outside the polar ice caps and It's the origin of ten of Asia's most consequential rivers like Brahmaputra, Mekong, Yangtze, Yellow, Salween, Indus, Irrawaddy, Ganges tributaries, Amu Darya, and the Tarim rivers which are collectively sustaining the lives and livelihoods of nearly two billion people across China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cam

On 12 December 2026, thirty years of structured water diplomacy between India and Bangladesh will formally expire as the Ganga Water Treaty, signed in 1996, is set to lapse. It started gaining momentum with the recent political changes in Dhaka, renewing debates over water sharing, taking it to the spotlight with urgency not seen in decades. Illustration by The Geostrata The renewal of this treaty is not merely a hydrological question. It is a barometer of the India-Banglades

Highlighting the significance of shared water resources in South Asia and the need for hydro diplomacy as a tool for resolving conflicts.