Water issues, especially in the Indian context, are complex in nature and require all stakeholders to engage in understanding them and developing solutions. This process needs to be transparent, inclusive and participatory in nature.  The policy discourse shaping the waterscape of the country has included several disciplines, predominantly hydrology, economics and law. However, it has taken a non-participatory and non-cohesive approach, with ‘experts’ largely working in silos. Meanwhile, uncertainties around water availability, and its demand from key growth sectors continue to increase. Currently, water management and governance is suffering from a lack of coordination with research efforts and incomplete correlation of results. This needs to change. There is an urgent need to approach water issues from multiple standpoints. This can vastly increase our chances, as a country, of better understanding and solving the problems in water management and governance.