India, June 26 -- In recent years, Delhi's water crisis has returned with predictable consequences. Residents queue for tankers, neighbourhoods complain of shortages, groundwater levels fall further, and a political blame game erupts across state borders. This raises an uncomfortable question: If Delhi has invested heavily in expanding water infrastructure and securing supplies from neighbouring states, why has annual water insecurity become its defining feature?

The answer lies in acknowledging that Delhi's water crisis is increasingly a crisis of governance. More than 90% of its total water supply of ~1,000 million gallons per day (MGD) is imported from neighbouring states, leaving it vulnerable to interstate disputes, seasonal fluctua...