Established bilateral mechanisms to address issues related to shared rivers with Bangladesh: MEA
New Delhi, June 2
Emphasising that India and Bangladesh have an established bilateral mechanism to address issues related to shared rivers, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said that matters concerning the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty would be considered within the existing cooperation frameworks.
Addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to queries on recent remarks by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir regarding the Ganges water-sharing agreement.
"We have 54 rivers that are shared between India and Bangladesh, and we have a joint rivers commission, a structured bilateral mechanism to deal with issues pertaining to all the rivers that we share between India and Bangladesh. We will also be looking at these issues as part of our structured bilateral collaboration on rivers," Jaiswal stated.
Alamgir reportedly said that the future of strong ties between Bangladesh and India hinges on the renewal of the Ganges water-sharing agreement, also commonly known as the Farakka Treaty, which is due to expire in December 2026.
The existing Ganges Water Sharing Treaty was signed between India and Bangladesh in 1996 and hailed as a diplomatic success.
It provided a 30-year framework for sharing Ganga waters during the critical dry season (January-May).
Based on a 10-day period flow measurement at Farakka, with a guaranteed minimum of 35,000 cusecs for each country in certain conditions, the implementation is overseen by a joint committee which is also responsible for resolving disputes.
While the treaty reduced tensions, its implementation has faced several challenges.
Climate change, glacial retreat, and upstream water use in India's states have reduced dry-season flows, making allocations harder to meet.
Bangladesh has often alleged that it receives less than its due share, especially in drought years, while India cites hydrological constraints.
With the Ganges water treaty set to expire later this year, its renewal is expected to be a key issue in India-Bangladesh bilateral engagement.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The Farakka Treaty was a landmark for its time, but climate change is making things harder for everyone. Both sides need to be realistic—India can't give more water than what's available in the river, and Bangladesh has genuine concerns during droughts. Time for a fair, updated deal. 🤔
BNP making it a political issue? Not surprising. Water sharing is always sensitive, but India has bent over backwards for Bangladesh over the years. If they want the treaty renewed, they should stop making demands and focus on technical solutions. 🤷♂️
As someone who follows Indo-Bangladesh relations, this is crucial. The 54 shared rivers need holistic management, not just the Ganga. India should invest in better data sharing and joint river conservation. That'll build trust more than any political statement. 🌊
Respect both nations, but why is BNP dragging this into politics just before elections? The technical team should handle water sharing, not politicians making noise. India has always been fair with neighboring countries. Let's hope cool heads prevail during the renewal talks. 🕊️
I'd say the treaty has been a success overall, but we can't ignore the downstream impact. Bangladesh gets less water in dry years, and that affects farmers there. India should consider compensating with technology or energy assistance instead of just water. Win-win is the only way forward. 👍
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.