"Ganges Water Treaty renewal must integrate river ecology alongside water allocation"
Ganges Water Treaty (1996)
30-year India-Bangladesh accord allocating dry-season Ganga flows at Farakka Barrage
Safe Operating Space (SOS)
ecological flow threshold below which a river suffers irreversible biological and geomorphological harm
India and Bangladesh share one of South Asia's most consequential bilateral relationships, rooted in the 1971 Liberation War and institutionalised through a series of landmark agreements. Among these, the Ganges Water Treaty of 1996 — a 30-year accord governing the sharing of Ganga/Padma flows at the Farakka Barrage — stands as the centrepiece of transboundary water diplomacy between the two countries. The treaty established a formula for dry-season flow allocation, specifying minimum guaranteed releases to Bangladesh during the lean months (January–May) when river discharge falls sharply. It was hailed as a breakthrough after decades of dispute following the barrage's commissioning in the mid-1970s.
The broader bilateral framework also includes the Land Boundary Agreement of 2015, the Extradition Treaty of 2013, and extensive connectivity and power-sector investments. India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy has consistently identified Bangladesh as a priority partner. However, the relationship has historically been sensitive to domestic political transitions in Dhaka — oscillating between the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), each bringing a different posture toward New Delhi. With the BNP now signalling that the future of bilateral ties will hinge on the Ganges treaty's renewal, the approaching expiry of the 1996 accord has acquired acute diplomatic salience.
The Farakka Barrage, constructed across the Ganga in West Bengal, was designed to divert freshwater into the Hooghly river to flush silt from Kolkata Port. While it served this engineering purpose, it has since become a flashpoint — ecologically within India and diplomatically with Bangladesh — illustrating the complex trade-offs inherent in large hydraulic infrastructure on shared river systems.
The Ganges Water Treaty of 1996 allocates dry-season flows using a tiered formula: when total flow at Farakka exceeds 75,000 cusecs, Bangladesh receives 35,000 cusecs; when flow falls below 70,000 cusecs, Bangladesh receives 50% of available flow; and a guarantee clause ensures neither country receives less than 35,000 cusecs in alternating ten-day periods. The treaty, valid for 30 years, is now approaching expiry, and its renegotiation must contend with a fundamentally altered hydrological and climatic baseline compared to 1996.
The concept of 'safe operating space' (SOS) for rivers — introduced in recent transboundary research — offers a science-based framework for treaty design. It defines the ecological flow thresholds below which a river system suffers irreversible harm to biodiversity, fisheries, and delta stability. Research on the Ganges Delta found that four out of ten rivers in the Bangladesh Delta already exceed their SOS, with the remaining six in a 'cautious state'. …
Which of the following are the key features of 'National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)'?
1.River basin is the unit of planning and management.
2.It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
3.One of the Chief Ministers of the States through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on rotation basis.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements:
1.The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim.
2.River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and it is a tributary of river Teesta.
3.River Teesta flows into Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to the Ganges Water Treaty of 1996, consider the following statements:
1.The treaty governs dry-season flow sharing at the Farakka Barrage between India and Bangladesh.
2.When total flow at Farakka falls below 70,000 cusecs, Bangladesh receives 50% of the available flow.
3.The treaty was signed for a period of 25 years.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements about the Farakka Barrage:
1.It was constructed to divert Ganga water into the Hooghly river to maintain navigability at Kolkata Port.
2.It has been linked to increased flood risk in parts of Bihar due to upstream sediment aggradation.
3.It facilitates the upstream migration of Hilsa fish into the Ganges basin.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The concept of 'Safe Operating Space' (SOS) for rivers, as applied to the Ganges Delta, refers to which of the following?
With reference to the Sundarbans, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1.It is the world's largest mangrove forest, shared between India and Bangladesh.
2.It is located in the delta formed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers.
3.Sustained freshwater inflows are essential to counter saltwater intrusion from the Bay of Bengal.
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