QUESTION 7
GS1
10 marks
“Water resources are both an asset and a source of conflict in South Asia.” Examine this statement giving examples.
WRITE IN
7 min
150 words
What the examiner wants
Explain the dual role of shared water as a development asset and a conflict trigger under transboundary dependence.
ExamineGo into the details, test each point against evidence, and conclude on what it shows.
Demand-wise check
- 1Asset functions: irrigation, hydropower, drinking water, ecosystems and navigation≈35 words
- 2Conflict drivers: upstream control, infrastructure, seasonal variability, scarcity, climate stress and unequal bargaining power≈35 words
- 3South Asian basin examples plus cases where treaties/institutions turn rivalry into managed interdependence≈35 words
Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.
Answer plan
Asset functionsConflict mechanismsBasin examplesCooperation/institutional lesson
Where marks usually go
- Reducing the answer to India–Pakistan only
- Naming treaties without explaining the hydrological/political conflict they manage
Value addition
- South Asia basin map or asset/conflict matrix
→ Draw it in the body, next to the point it supports.
Official source anchors
These are authoritative sources selected for this exact PYQ. Where a card is an official-domain anchor rather than a fact-level citation, verify the precise provision, definition or data point on the linked source before using it.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 7 minutes, then get it checked.