Climate-Induced Displacement and Evolving Security Paradigms in South Asia

This case study investigates the nexus between climate-induced displacement and security in South Asia, challenging conventional border-centric security paradigms. We analyze how environmental stressors—coastal erosion, river flooding, and glacial melt—generate displacement patterns that transcend national boundaries, thereby reshaping regional security dynamics. The research employs a mixed-method approach, combining empirical case studies with policy analysis to interrogate the inadequacies of state-centric security models. Findings reveal that climate displacement often manifests as irregular cross-border migration or internal instability, with exclusionary border policies exacerbating human vulnerability while failing to address root causes. For example, coastal erosion displaces agrarian communities, forcing irregular migration that receiving states frame as a security threat, thereby intensifying border militarization. Moreover, internal displacement due to river flooding strains urban infrastructure, creating secondary security risks through resource competition and social friction. The study further identifies glacial melt as a catalyst for interstate tensions over shared water resources, highlighting how environmental degradation escalates geopolitical strain. Critically, the research argues that rigid border control frameworks are ill-suited to address climate-driven mobility, proposing instead adaptive strategies that recognize migration as an adaptation mechanism. Policy implications emphasize regional cooperation, resilience-based urban planning, and the integration of climate change into security discourse. The study contributes to broader debates on non-traditional security threats by demonstrating how climate displacement blurs the distinction between internal and external security, necessitating transformative governance approaches in South Asia and beyond.