The report "Elevating River Basin Governance and Cooperation in the HKH Region: Summary Report III on the Indus River Basin" provides a comprehensive overview of the Indus River Basin, emphasizing its significance as a crucial water source for over 268 million people. The report highlights the challenges posed by climate change, stressing the expected increase in water demand and the need for a multilateral or regional framework for enhanced basin-scale management. The report offers high-level recommendations for climate resilience, food and water security, regional water governance, and the adoption of common approaches and tools. Furthermore, it underscores the need for a people-centered approach, and the documentation of existing knowledge and success stories of marginalized groups. Key aspects of the report include:
The report also focuses on gender and social inclusion (GESI) and engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including people with disabilities, indigenous people, and other marginalized populations in knowledge generation, dialogues, planning, and cooperation at the local and basin scales. It is part of a series of three reports on Elevating River Basin Governance and Cooperation in the HKH Region, which also include reports on the Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins.