The bilateral relationship between neighbours India and Nepal encompasses not only common notions of culture and common geographical boundaries, but also shared freshwater resources. [1] There are a number of well-endowed rivers originating in the Himalayas such as the four crucial tributaries of the Ganges: Mahakali, Karnali, Sapta Gandaki, and Sapta Kosi. These flow through the valleys and plains of Nepal, meandering into the flat sub-tropical plains of India, before finally joining the Bay of Bengal. [2] These rivers help irrigate the low-lying parts of Nepal, as well as the fertile Indo-Gangetic plains of India. They contribute approximately 45 percent of the annual flow of the Ganges and 70 percent of the dry-season flow, thereby making them the “lifeblood of the Indian fertile low land.” [3]
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