ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the 1996 Ganges water crisis between India and Bangladesh. In a confirmatory analysis, it shows that Bangladesh’s altercating questioned India’s master role of natural leader and created a situation in which New Delhi’s authorities had to experience a process of role learning and adopt a new master role: regional paymaster. To explain the dispute, the chapter first discusses the asymmetrical economic interdependence between the two countries, especially on the issue of the river water sharing. Second, it discusses the altercasting promoted by Bangladesh against India, accusing New Delhi of being a hegemonic neighbor– a moniker for coercive leader – and calling for more cooperative behavior. Third, it shows that domestic opposition within India helped the Bangladeshi government in the negotiations and paved the way for a master role transition. Finally, it shows that the Nepalese regional contestation on the broader issue of sharing South Asian rivers contributed to New Delhi’s acceptance of Bangladeshi demands.
