Ganga Treaty: Centre assures Bihar its interests will be considered before renewal

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said India will decide on the renewal of the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty while keeping Bihar’s interests in consideration. In a letter to Janata Dal (U) MP Sanjay Jha, dated August 28, Mr. Jaishankar acknowledged the concerns raised about the treaty’s impact on the State.

The India-Bangladesh Ganga Water Treaty is set to expire on December 31, 2026. Its renewal is expected to be a key item in the bilateral diplomatic calendar this year. Mr. Jha, who served as Bihar’s Water Resources Minister from 2021 to 2024, had urged the government not to renew the treaty, arguing that it had “negatively impacted” the State.

Responding to the Minister’s letter, Mr. Jha said he hoped the Government of India would factor in Bihar’s interests “fully and fairly” while taking a final decision. “Bihar is not seeking a favour. We are asking only for what our own scientific assessment establishes, so that 13 crore people are not left short of water for drinking, irrigation and industrial supply for another 30 years,” the MP said in a press note.

In his letter, Mr. Jaishankar pointed to the consultative process already undertaken. “We fully understand your concerns regarding the Ganga Water Treaty. I would like to bring to your attention that under the leadership of the Jal Shakti Ministry, inter-ministerial consultations involving relevant stakeholders have taken place to ensure broad-based consultation on the future of the treaty,” he wrote. He added that an authorised representative of the Government of Bihar had participated in consultations held on August 22, 2023, October 30, 2023, March 15, 2024, and May 31, 2024.

“The government will take the appropriate decision while keeping these factors in focus,” Mr. Jaishankar said regarding the renewal of the treaty.

Mr. Jha has been a vocal opponent of renewing the pact. He previously described the treaty, signed during the first premiership of Sheikh Hasina in 1996, as a remnant of the ‘Gujral Doctrine’ era that projected a generous image of India but did not serve Bihar’s interests. He has argued that data from the past three decades shows a clear negative impact on the State, and that India should allow the treaty to lapse.

The treaty’s renewal also comes against the backdrop of strained India-Bangladesh relations. No top-level political meetings have taken place recently. Talks for a New Delhi visit by Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman broke down after a virtual press conference by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Foreign Correspondents Club in New Delhi on August 5. These developments add to the diplomatic context in which the treaty decision will be made.