Why In News?

Weeks before the India–Bangladesh Ganga Water Treaty expires in December 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said a "structured mechanism" remains in place to deal with the pact.  

What Is The Ganga Water Treaty?

  • Signing: The Treaty on Sharing of the Ganga/Ganges Waters at Farakka was signed in December 1996 by Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 

  • Duration: It was signed for 30 years and can be renewed by mutual consent.  

  • Scope: It shares the Ganga's flow at the Farakka Barrage during the dry season from 1 January to 31 May, in 10-day periods. 

  • Only Water Treaty: India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, but the Ganga is the only one covered by a full water-sharing treaty.

Water-Sharing Formula

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Flow At Farakka (cusecs)

India's Share

Bangladesh's Share

70,000 or less

50%

50%

70,000–75,000

Balance of flow

35,000 cusecs

75,000 or more

40,000 cusecs

Balance of flow

Guaranteed Flow: During the leanest period (11 March to 10 May), each country is guaranteed 35,000 cusecs in alternate 10-day periods. 

Emergency Clause: If the flow falls below 50,000 cusecs in any 10-day period, the two governments must hold immediate consultations.  

Implementation Mechanism

  • Joint Committee: A Joint Committee of both countries monitors daily flows at Farakka (India) and Hardinge Bridge (Bangladesh). It meets three times a year as part of the treaty's institutional mechanism.  

  • Review Clause: The treaty provides for review every five years, or earlier if needed.  

  • Dispute Handling: Differences go first to the Joint Committee, then to the Joint Rivers Commission, and finally to the two governments. The treaty has no third-party arbitration clause.  

About Ganga River

It  is a 2,525-kilometer-long trans-boundary river in Asia that rises in the western Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India, and empties into the Bay of Bengal.

  • Source: The river begins as the Bhagirathi River, which melts from the Gangotri Glacier at Gaumukh. At Devprayag, it merges with the Alaknanda River to become the Ganga.

  • States Traversed: It flows through Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, where it is known as the Padma.

  • Delta: At its mouth, it forms the Sundarbans, the world's largest river delta, alongside the Brahmaputra River.

  • Major Tributaries: Key tributaries include the Yamuna, Ramganga, Gomti, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi, and Damodar.

What Is The Background Of The Water Sharing Dispute?

Farakka Barrage

  • Purpose: India built the Farakka Barrage in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, about 18 km from the Bangladesh border. It was commissioned in 1975.  

  • Diversion For Kolkata Port: A 38-km feeder canal diverts Ganga water into the Bhagirathi–Hooghly river to flush silt and keep Kolkata Port navigable. 

  • Bangladesh's Concern: Bangladesh said the diversion reduced dry-season flows downstream, harming agriculture, fisheries and the Sundarbans through rising salinity.  

Road To The 1996 Treaty

  • Short-Term Deals: A 1977 agreement and MoUs in 1982 and 1985 shared water for short periods, but the last one lapsed in 1988.  

  • Treaty Gap: From 1988 to 1996, there was no agreement, which created mistrust until the 1996 treaty was signed.  

What Is The Current Status Of Renewal?

India's Position

  • Existing Mechanism: The MEA says India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, and that the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) and several technical bodies are the right forums for any discussion on the treaty.  

  • Joint Rivers Commission: The JRC was set up in 1972 as a bilateral body to address all issues on common rivers.  

  • West Bengal Consulted: The Union government says it regularly consults the West Bengal government in preparing for the talks.  

  • Call For Early Talks: In July 2026, Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs urged the government to begin renewal talks without delay.  

Bangladesh's Position

  • New Or Revised Treaty: Bangladesh's government is seeking a new or revised Ganga treaty with an explicit guarantee of its share of water.  

  • Wider Scope: Dhaka wants climate change and basin-wide needs included, along with a longer renewal period and more flood data sharing.  

Why Does The Ganga Treaty Matter?

For Bangladesh

  • Lifeline River: The Ganga (called the Padma in Bangladesh) supports farming, fisheries and drinking water for millions.  

  • Ecology: Adequate dry-season flows check salinity in southwestern Bangladesh and protect the Sundarbans. 

For India

  • Kolkata Port: Water diverted at Farakka keeps the Kolkata–Haldia port system navigable.  

  • West Bengal And Bihar: Water use in the upper basin affects farming and drinking water in these States.  

For Bilateral Ties

  • Trust Builder: The 1996 treaty is a symbol of cooperation and of India's Neighbourhood First policy.  

  • Strategic Stakes: A smooth renewal can prevent water from becoming a source of tension, and limit space for other powers in the region.  

What Are The Key Challenges In Renewing The Treaty?

Political Challenges

  • Changing Politics In Dhaka: Shifts in Bangladesh's government have affected the pace and tone of bilateral talks.  

    • Example: Bangladesh's interim government (August 2024 to February 2026) took a more adversarial stance towards India, leaving several pending issues unresolved before an elected government took office. 

  • Federal Dimension: Water is a State subject in India, and West Bengal's consent matters for any deal. 

    • Example: India and Bangladesh agreed on the text of a Teesta water-sharing agreement in 2011, but it was never signed because the West Bengal government opposed it.  

Technical And Environmental Challenges

  • Falling Dry-Season Flows: Upstream water use and climate change have reduced lean-season flows at Farakka.  

  • Data Disputes: The two sides have sometimes differed on flow measurements.  

Institutional Gaps

  • Slow JRC: The Joint Rivers Commission meets irregularly at the ministerial level.  

    • Example: The JRC's ministerial meeting in 2022 was its first in about 12 years, showing how slowly the top-level mechanism has functioned. 

  • Legal Vacuum Risk: If the treaty lapses without renewal, there will be no binding obligation on dry-season sharing, as happened between 1988 and 1996.  

Way Forward 

Timely, Flexible Renewal

  • Begin Talks Promptly: Both sides should start structured negotiations quickly, possibly with an interim extension to avoid a legal vacuum.  

  • Build On Past Success: Smaller agreements can build trust for a larger deal. 

    • Example: In 2022, India and Bangladesh signed an MoU on the Kushiyara river, their first water-sharing arrangement since 1996, allowing withdrawal of water for irrigation. 

Basin-Wide Cooperation

  • Integrated Basin Management: A new treaty could cover flood forecasting, sediment management, climate adaptation and ecosystem flows, not just volume sharing. 

    • Example: The Mekong River Commission, set up in 1995 by Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, coordinates basin-wide data sharing and planning, offering lessons for shared river management. 

  • Real-Time Data Sharing: Joint telemetry and transparent flow data can reduce disputes. 

Domestic Consensus And Diplomacy

  • Involve States Early: Including West Bengal and Bihar in negotiations can prevent a repeat of the Teesta deadlock.  

  • Use Existing Treaty Models: India's other water treaties show how long-term arrangements can work.  

    • Example: The Mahakali Treaty with Nepal, signed in 1996, set out integrated development of the Mahakali river, including the planned Pancheshwar project, showing how water and energy cooperation can be combined.  

Conclusion

The Ganga Water Treaty has anchored India–Bangladesh water cooperation for 30 years, and its renewal will test the strength of the relationship. A timely, climate-resilient and basin-wide agreement, backed by domestic consensus, can turn a shared river into a lasting bridge between the two neighbours.

Source: THEHINDU

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. How should India and Bangladesh redesign the Ganga Water Treaty for a climate-changed future? (15 Marks, 250 Words)