Sadik Sagar, Dhaka:
The renewal of the 1996 Ganga Water Sharing Treaty between Bangladesh and India is entering a critical stage. New Delhi is now facing the challenge of balancing bilateral commitments with growing water demands from Indian states.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has assured Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjay Jha that Bihar’s drinking water and agricultural and industrial requirements will be considered before any decision is taken on the treaty. The assurance reflects a longstanding concern in Bihar and adds another domestic factor to negotiations with Bangladesh.
Signed on December 12, 1996, the treaty established a framework for sharing Ganga water at the Farakka Barrage during the dry season. It helped ease a dispute that had affected India-Bangladesh relations for decades. However, the agreement is due to expire on December 12, 2026, and its continuation remains subject to mutual consent.
The main challenge now is not simply whether the treaty will continue, but what form a future arrangement should take. Bangladesh has reportedly argued for a broader assessment of Ganga flows, including water withdrawals upstream of Farakka. Dhaka also wants future arrangements to take greater account of climate change and changing river conditions.
India, meanwhile, must consider the interests of Bihar and West Bengal, both of which have raised concerns over the distribution and management of Ganga water. Bihar has long argued that the Farakka system contributes to water-related problems in the state, while West Bengal has historically insisted that its interests be considered in any agreement with Bangladesh.
The political change in West Bengal may alter the domestic environment surrounding negotiations, but state interests are unlikely to disappear from the process. For New Delhi, reaching an agreement with Dhaka will therefore require balancing internal water demands with wider diplomatic and regional considerations.
For Bangladesh, the uncertainty is particularly significant. If the treaty expires without a replacement or interim arrangement, the existing framework for guaranteed dry-season water sharing would no longer continue in its present form.
With the deadline approaching, both sides face pressure to narrow their differences. A renewed treaty, revised framework, or interim arrangement could each provide a path forward, but the outcome will depend on how effectively Bangladesh’s water-security concerns are reconciled with India’s evolving domestic demands.
