The Brahmaputra River, spanning China, India, and Bangladesh, faces mounting pressures from climate change, intensified monsoons, and sediment instability. Traditional embankment-based management and fragmented governance have proven inadequate. Recent studies (2021–2025) call for a shift toward integrated, cooperative, and technology-led river management. By adopting UDA systems, the region can enhance real-time monitoring, improve flood forecasting, and foster trust through transparent data-sharing frameworks—paving the way for sustainable and resilient basin-wide governance.
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1. Escalating Environmental Risks: Increasing floods, sedimentation, and channel instability threaten livelihoods and ecosystems across the Brahmaputra Basin.
2. Governance Gaps: Persistent mistrust and lack of a basin-wide cooperation treaty hinder effective management among China, India, and Bangladesh.
3. Technological Innovation: The integration of UDA technology offers a new path for real-time data sharing, monitoring, and adaptive management.
4. Way Forward: A coordinated, data-driven, and community-inclusive approach is essential to ensure long-term resilience and transboundary stability.
Research Intern, MRC