According to this policy brief, climate and other drivers of change raise questions about the continued reliance on surface water resources, prompting countries to fundamentally rethink groundwater management strategies. This policy brief describes a case study from India, to show how the country is seizing the opportunity to use groundwater to face climate change. Similarly, another case study in Central Asia highlights how co-management of surface water and groundwater offers attractive and innovative solutions to complex, politicized water allocation problems.