Bhawna Prakash and Abhinav Subramaniam
Introduction
Safe water and sanitation are vital to human life. However, despite global efforts, as of 2022, 2.2 billion people still lack access to safely managed water services, and 3.5 billion are without safely managed sanitation services, resulting in conflicts and threatening global governance. The United Nations predicts that global water demand will increase by 20–30 percent by 2050. The annual economic value of water and freshwater systems is already estimated to be $58 trillion, or approximately 60 percent of global GDP, and is under threat from the freshwater ecosystem crisis. Climate change further exacerbates challenges for developing economies by causing floods, droughts, and extreme weather conditions, necessitating international and bilateral cooperation.
In India—an important strategic partner for the United States in terms of geopolitics, economic development, and international trade—long-term water security will be critical for national and human security, as well as economic development. However, water and sanitation fail to rank among the top bilateral priorities in the U.S.-India partnership, which should instead harness U.S. knowledge in areas of greatest impact for both countries while also capitalizing on the opportunities presented by India’s rapid expansion in the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector. The sector should be prioritized given the vast potential to expand trade, private investments, and greater collaborations from U.S. service providers, such as business and technology groups and industry associations.
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