NEW DELHI: India is currently adopting a wait-and-watch policy concerning the Ganga River Water Treaty, which is set to expire at the end of 2026. The country is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the upcoming Bangladesh elections before initiating fresh negotiations on the treaty. High-ranking officials in Bangladesh have indicated that India should begin discussions with the newly elected government.
A senior officer involved in the development stated, "We are waiting for the election outcomes in Bangladesh before making any decisions on the Ganga River Water Sharing agreement renewal, which is set to expire at the end of the year." He further noted that the top office in Bangladesh has advised India to wait until the election results are announced.
The general elections in Bangladesh are scheduled for February 12, 2026. The officer emphasized, "It is better to discuss with an elected government rather than a non-elected authority regime in Bangladesh."
In January, a team from the India’s Central Water Commission, accompanied by a four-member Bangladeshi team, visited the Farakka area as part of the technical assessments related to the treaty. This visit was conducted under the framework of the existing 1996 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty mechanism. India is the upper riparian state in this treaty.
The meeting was crucial for laying the groundwork to renew the treaty before its expiry. Additionally, a formal courtesy meeting occurred in January 2026 between Pranay Verma, the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, and Tarique Rahman, the BNP Chief, in Dhaka. No details about these meetings have been made public.
The Ganga Water Treaty, signed on December 12, 1996, between India and Bangladesh, governs the sharing of Ganga water, particularly around the Farakka Barrage during the lean season. The treaty is to be renewed with mutual consent after 30 years.
Currently, the arrangement provides 35,000 cusecs of water alternately for 10 days each to both countries during the lean season, which lasts from March 11 to May 11.
Last year in May, the Indian government informed the Bangladeshi government that it would prefer to renegotiate the treaty rather than simply extend it, citing a need for an additional 30,000 to 35,000 cusecs of water during the same lean period to meet its emerging requirements.
A sense of distrust has developed between the two countries following the coup in Bangladesh in 2024, which removed the elected government. This situation has put Indian diplomacy in a challenging position.