Context
The Teesta river dispute between India and Bangladesh has been a long-standing issue that has hindered the signing of a water-sharing treaty between the two countries. Despite years of negotiations, the treaty remains elusive, with several political and environmental factors contributing to the delay.
The Teesta River and its Importance
The Teesta is a river with a length of 414 km that starts in the Himalayas, runs through the state of Sikkim and West Bengal in India and finally through the northern part of Bangladesh before it finally drains into the Bay Of Bengal. The river provides water directly to the people of both nations, Bangladesh depending on the river approximately 73% of its people.
History of Negotiations
The negotiations on sharing the Teesta’s waters have been ongoing since the 1970s. In 1983, an ad-hoc agreement was reached, allocating 39% of the river’s water to India and 36% to Bangladesh, with the remaining 25% left unallocated. Over the years, the proposed sharing ratios have been adjusted, with the 2011 agreement suggesting a 42.5% share for India and 37.5% for Bangladesh.
Environmental Concerns
- There are other factors that also make a significant contribution to the delay involved in the formulation of the Teesta treaty. The construction of hydroelectric projects in Sikkim, part of India which has been affecting the flow of Kuri along with deforestation in the upper catchment areas has been held responsible for fluctuating nature of water resources in Bangladesh. This has raised questions about the Environmental effects of an article in sharing water and the necessity of Extensive protective measures.
- Again in October 2023, a glacial lake outburst on Teesta basin caused floods which took more than a hundred people’s lives and devastated the Teesta III hydroelectric project reflecting the environmental issues of the river.
The Role of China
This has further compounded the issues surrounding the Teesta water sharing by getting involved in the political complexities that exist around the region. Recently, China has been eyeing some major works involving dredging and construction of structures across the Teesta river in Bangladesh and this has been raising concern in terms of the assertive approach of China in south Asia. This has created another dimension to the negotiations mainly because India wants to assert its strategic role in the region as well as challenging China.
The Federal Angle
The issue of Teesta also defines the federal characteristics of India. The Indian constitution under the article 253 empowers the central government to make trans boundary water sharing treaties but simultaneously it is obligatory to take the state governments concerned into confidence for the same. This has culminated in a situation in which the central Government meant reaching an agreement with Bangladesh finds it hard due to opposition from the Government of West Bengal.
The Importance of the Teesta Agreement
The Teesta agreement is significant in a number of ways because Firstly, The Teesta agreement validates that has been agreed upon by both Indian and Bangladesh govt.
However, the Teesta water-sharing agreement still remains one of the significant factors for both the countries, India and Bangladesh. For Bangladesh the water of the Teesta is critical for irrigation and existence and thus has been an issue of concern, frustration and resentment that there was no treaty on this. Thus, non-settlement of the Teesta dispute may prevent India from cultivating the strategic relations with Bangladesh, which is quite important in the region.
Conclusion
The case of the Teesta river border dispute can be considered a very sensitive and complicated one which could not be solved for 15 years. Thus, political factors, preserving the environment, and federal factors in India are the reasons behind the cross-delayed signing of the Teesta treaty. As both the countries are in ongoing process of negotiating it can be regarded that in order to provide a sound and adequate answer to the water-sharing problem and to augment the diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh a balanced approach is to be achieved.
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Mains Practice Question
Q. Discuss the key factors delaying the Teesta treaty between India and Bangladesh. What are the potential impacts of these delays on bilateral relations and regional cooperation in South Asia?
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