Introduction
The Ganga Water Sharing Treaty, 1996 is an agreement between India and Bangladesh on sharing the waters of the Ganga at Farakka during the dry season. It was signed on 12 December 1996 and was designed to remain in force for 30 years, which means it is set to expire in December 2026.
Background
The dispute emerged mainly around the sharing of dry-season flows at Farakka. The issue became important because lean-season water availability affects irrigation, agriculture, ecology, navigation, and livelihoods in downstream Bangladesh as well as water management in India. The 1996 treaty replaced earlier temporary arrangements and was considered a major bilateral breakthrough in India-Bangladesh relations.
Main Provisions
The treaty provides for the sharing of Ganga waters at Farakka during the period from 1 January to 31 May every year, with reference to water availability measured in 10-day periods. The treaty contains a formula-based schedule for distribution depending on the volume of flow available. It also includes a commitment that the two governments would make every effort to protect the flows of the Ganga in the spirit of equity, fairness, and no harm to either side.
Important features include: • Water sharing is based on 10-day average availability at Farakka.
• The treaty applies specifically to the dry season from 1 January to 31 May.
• It provides a detailed sharing arrangement depending on different flow ranges.
• It created an institutional mechanism for implementation and observation.
Institutional Mechanism
To implement the treaty, the two countries set up a Joint Committee to observe and record water flows at Farakka and other relevant points. MEA annual reports show that this Joint Committee continued to hold meetings and review dry-season sharing under the treaty framework. This institutional arrangement is important because it gives the treaty an operational and monitoring structure rather than leaving it as only a political understanding.
Significance
The 1996 treaty is one of the most important examples of transboundary river cooperation in South Asia. It helped reduce a major irritant in India-Bangladesh ties and became a model of negotiated sharing of a common river. It is also significant because it reflects how water diplomacy in India’s neighbourhood is shaped not only by hydrology, but also by trust-building, regional stability, and domestic stakeholder consultation.
Its importance can be understood in multiple ways: • It improved India-Bangladesh bilateral relations.
• It created a working framework for dry-season water sharing.
• It showed the role of joint monitoring and institutional dialogue in river diplomacy.
Recent Developments
The treaty has become relevant again because it is due to expire in December 2026. In July 2024, the Government of India stated in Parliament that India and Bangladesh had decided to begin discussions on renewal, although those discussions had not yet commenced at that stage. The same reply noted that the Government of West Bengal had been consulted and its authorized representative had taken part in inter-ministerial discussions on the matter.
In June 2024, during the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s visit to India, the Foreign Secretary said that a joint technical committee had been formed to initiate discussions for renewal of the 1996 treaty.
However, in February 2026, the Government of India stated in Parliament that discussions for renewal between the two countries were yet to commence. This means the treaty remains in force, but as of February 2026 no formal renewal negotiation had begun at the bilateral level according to the official parliamentary reply.
Challenges
Although the treaty is often seen as a successful agreement, renewal is not automatic. The main challenges include changing hydrological conditions, lean-season scarcity, growing water demand, and the need to balance bilateral diplomacy with domestic consultations in India, especially with West Bengal as a key stakeholder. These issues are similar to wider river-sharing disputes in the region, where technical, political, and federal factors overlap.
Conclusion
The Ganga Treaty of 1996 is a landmark India-Bangladesh water-sharing agreement governing dry-season flows of the Ganga at Farakka. Its importance lies in its formula-based sharing system, institutional monitoring mechanism, and broader diplomatic value in bilateral relations. With the treaty set to expire in December 2026, its renewal has become a major contemporary issue in India-Bangladesh water diplomacy.
