MEA clarifies position as Ganga Water Treaty nears expiry

The Ganga Water Treaty between India and Bangladesh is set to expire in December. Amidst this situation, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, that both countries have a 'structured mechanism' available to meet the requirements of this treaty. According to a report by The Hindu, official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal provided this information during a bi-weekly media briefing.

Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "The Joint Rivers Commission between India and Bangladesh is operational, which is a structured mechanism for discussing all transboundary rivers, including the Ganga." He further added that India wishes to maintain 'positive relations' with Bangladesh. The Government of India has extended an invitation to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tariq Rahman to visit New Delhi, but there has been no update yet regarding the dates of this visit or the renewal of the treaty.

The bilateral Ganga Water Treaty between the two nations is due to end on December 12. This treaty was signed in 1996, when Sheikh Hasina first became the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The renewal of this three-decade-old river water sharing agreement requires expert-level and political consultations. As the treaty was originally signed at the prime ministerial level—between then Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina—it is understood that its renewal will take place through a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Tariq Rahman.

However, Prime Minister Tariq Rahman has so far visited China, Japan, Malaysia, and the United States, but has not yet responded to the invitations received from India. Notably, he was also invited to bilateral and multilateral events during the BRICS Summit held in New Delhi in September.

Clarifying India's intentions, Randhir Jaiswal said, "As far as India-Bangladesh relations are concerned, we want to work towards positive, forward-looking, and constructive relations." On the other hand, diplomatic sources from the Bangladeshi side had previously indicated that they expect an automatic short-term renewal of the treaty after it expires on December 12. However, Indian officials have not yet given any signal in this regard.

Meanwhile, Randhir Jaiswal also spoke about the protests being carried out by workers in the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh. Workers have taken to the streets demanding fair wages due to high inflation and power crises in Bangladesh. When questioned about this, the spokesperson stated, "Yes, we are monitoring the situation in Bangladesh. There have been some developments there, and we will continue to follow them."