Introduction
The 1996 Ganga Water Treaty regulates lean-season flows at Farakka between India and Bangladesh and is due for renewal in 2026. Climate-induced hydrological uncertainty necessitates a shift from fixed water allocation to integrated, adaptive and basin-wide governance.
Body
Why should the renewed treaty move beyond water allocation?
- Climate variability: Erratic monsoons, glacial retreat, droughts and extreme floods make fixed allocation formulas increasingly unreliable.
- Ecological interdependence: Upstream activities affect downstream fisheries, wetlands, agriculture and the Sundarbans.
- Sedimentation: Heavy siltation changes river channels, reduces carrying capacity and affects the availability of distributable water.
- Water-quality concerns: Pollution and salinity intrusion show that water quality is as important as its quantity.
- Competing demands: India must balance irrigation, drinking water, navigation and ecological flows, while Bangladesh faces lean-season scarcity and livelihood insecurity.
Components of integrated river-basin governance
- Introduce flexible, flow-based sharing arrangements with drought- and flood-sharing protocols.
- Establish real-time exchange of rainfall, river-flow, groundwater and sediment data.
- Undertake joint flood forecasting, riverbank-erosion control and disaster management.
- Ensure minimum environmental flows for fisheries, wetlands and deltaic ecosystems.
- Develop coordinated mechanisms for pollution control and sediment management.
- Strengthen the Joint Rivers Commission through a permanent scientific secretariat and effective dispute-resolution mechanism.
- Involve West Bengal, Bihar, local communities and technical institutions in decision-making.
Significance for India – Bangladesh relations
- An equitable arrangement would reduce Bangladesh’s perception of Indian upstream dominance.
- It would reinforce India’s Neighbourhood First and Act East policies.
- Water cooperation can support navigation, trade, energy connectivity and regional stability.
- Conversely, unresolved disputes may fuel anti-India sentiment and increase external strategic influence.
Conclusion
The Ganga must be viewed not merely as divisible water but as a shared ecological and developmental system. A climate-resilient, participatory and science-based treaty can transform water from a source of friction into a foundation for enduring India–Bangladesh cooperation.
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