LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 2210
ANSWERED ON - 01/08/2025
RENEWAL OF THE GANGA WATER TREATY
2210. SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Governments of India and Bangladesh have initiated high-level technical discussions for the renewal of the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty, which is set to expire in 2026;
(b) if so, the details of the discussions held, including the recent visit of an 11-member Bangladeshi delegation to India in March 2025;
(c) the outcomes of above said meetings at the Farakka Barrage and subsequent sessions in Kolkata; and
(d) whether the Government of West Bengal, as a neighbouring State and key stakeholder, has been consulted during these discussions and if so, the nature of their involvement and the inputs provided?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a to d) With regard to the Ganga/Ganges Water Treaty signed in 1996 between India and Bangladesh, bilateral discussions for its renewal are yet to commence between the two countries.
Under the framework of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), technical-level meetings continue to be held with Bangladesh on all water-related issues of mutual interest. The last such meeting was held in March 2025, providing a structured platform for data sharing and joint monitoring.
The Government of West Bengal is regularly consulted by the Union Government in preparing for the aforementioned discussions. An authorised representative from the Government of West Bengal took part in inter-ministerial discussions held on the matter on 30 October 2023, 15 March 2024, 31 May 2024 and also on 26 March 2025, where a collective view was formulated. Inputs on drinking water and industrial water requirements have also been received from all stakeholders, including from the Government of West Bengal, which have been taken into account while formulating Government’s views.