ABSTRACT
The relative geological location also has a bearing on the water-sharing relationships between countries, i.e. the 'upper riparian-lower riparian' geopolitics of international rivers. Where treaties have been entered to resolve water disputes, they have stood the test of time—even treaties between bitter enemies. As there is no binding water law or effective institutional mechanism to resolve international water disputes, nations have had to enter into treaties, bilateral or multilateral. The capital intensity and economies of scale associated with surface water supply have profound economic and social implications. Water-stressed countries in the Middle East and North Africa import water-intensive crops and virtual water and so reduce their demand for water. Export of water-intensive commodities, on the other hand, raises national water demand and could add to water scarcity. Most Irrigation Acts in India have implicitly presumed the absolute rights of the state over water resources.
