"Bihar's push against Farakka Treaty renewal tests Centre's neighbourhood diplomacy"
Farakka Barrage
a dam across the Ganga in West Bengal, built to divert water into the Hooghly River for Kolkata Port.
Ganges Water Treaty 1996
a 30-year India-Bangladesh accord allocating dry-season Ganga flows at Farakka using a tiered formula.
The Ganges Water Treaty of 1996, formally the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, is a 30-year bilateral accord signed on December 12, 1996, between India and Bangladesh. It governs the sharing of Ganga flows at the Farakka Barrage in West Bengal during the dry season (January 1 to May 31), when river discharge falls sharply and competition for water intensifies. The treaty replaced a series of short-term, stopgap arrangements that had governed the relationship since the barrage became operational in 1975. It was widely regarded as a diplomatic breakthrough, providing a predictable, formula-based allocation framework for the first time.
The Farakka Barrage was originally constructed to divert freshwater from the Ganga into the Hooghly River. The purpose was to flush silt and maintain the navigability of Kolkata Port. However, the structure has had significant unintended consequences. Upstream, it traps sediment, raising the Ganges riverbed and increasing flood risk in Bihar. Downstream, it reduces freshwater flow into Bangladesh, contributing to soil salinity, ecological stress in the Sundarbans, and disruption of fish migration. The barrage thus sits at the intersection of engineering ambition, ecological consequence, and interstate and international politics.
India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy has consistently identified Bangladesh as a priority partner. The bilateral relationship is anchored in the shared history of the 1971 Liberation War and has been deepened through agreements on land boundaries, extradition, and connectivity. The approaching expiry of the 1996 treaty in December 2026 has therefore acquired acute diplomatic salience, particularly given the political transition in Dhaka.
The Ganges Water Treaty of 1996 uses a tiered allocation formula for dry-season flows at Farakka. When total flow exceeds 75,000 cusecs, Bangladesh receives 35,000 cusecs. When flow falls between 70,000 and 75,000 cusecs, Bangladesh receives 70 percent of the total. When flow falls below 70,000 cusecs, India and Bangladesh share equally. The treaty specifies that each country shall receive a minimum of 35,000 cusecs in alternating three-ten-day periods during the lean season.
A critical structural gap in the 1996 treaty is the absence of a minimum flow guarantee clause. If total flow falls drastically below 50,000 cusecs, the treaty only mandates immediate emergency consultations. It does not guarantee Bangladesh any fixed minimum. This was a deliberate compromise in 1996 but has become increasingly problematic as climate variability, upstream withdrawals, and siltation have reduced actual river availability below the baseline assumptions on which the treaty rested. …
'India is an age-old friend of Sri Lanka.' Discuss India's role in the recent crisis in Sri Lanka in the light of the preceding statement.
Discuss the geopolitical and geostrategic importance of Maldives for India with a focus on global trade and energy flows. Further also discuss how this relationship affects India's maritime security and regional stability amidst international competition.
Consider the following statements regarding the Ganges Water Treaty of 1996 between India and Bangladesh:
1.The treaty governs water sharing at the Farakka Barrage during the dry season from January 1 to May 31 each year.
2.The treaty includes a minimum flow guarantee clause that ensures Bangladesh receives a fixed minimum even if total flow falls below 50,000 cusecs.
3.The treaty was signed for a period of 30 years and is set to expire in December 2026.
4.When total flow at Farakka exceeds 75,000 cusecs, Bangladesh is entitled to receive 35,000 cusecs under the treaty.
How many of the above statements are correct?
The Farakka Barrage was constructed primarily to:
Match the following provisions of the Ganges Water Treaty of 1996 with the corresponding flow conditions at Farakka:
Flow Condition — Bangladesh's Entitlement
P. Total flow exceeds 75,000 cusecs — 1. Equal sharing between India and Bangladesh
Q. Total flow between 70,000 and 75,000 cusecs — 2. 35,000 cusecs to Bangladesh
R. Total flow below 70,000 cusecs — 3. 70 percent of total flow to Bangladesh
S. Total flow below 50,000 cusecs — 4. Immediate emergency consultations only
Select the correct match:
Consider the following statements regarding the constitutional framework governing transboundary water treaties in India:
1.Water is listed as a subject under the State List (Entry 17) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
2.The power to enter into treaties and agreements with foreign countries is vested in the Union under the Union List (Entry 14).
3.A state government can independently negotiate and sign a water-sharing treaty with a neighbouring country.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Assertion (A): Bihar has demanded that any successor to the Ganges Water Treaty of 1996 include a National Silt Management Policy and direct state representation in negotiations.
Reason (R): The Farakka Barrage has trapped sediment upstream, raising the Ganges riverbed and increasing seasonal flood risk in Bihar's riverside districts.
Want the full note, Prelims Facts & MCQ answers?
Create a free account — takes less than a minute.
Create free account