Bangladesh does not want ties with India to deteriorate over Teesta: Minister

The Teesta water dispute has evolved from a bilateral hydropolitical issue into a significant geopolitical challenge due to the 'China factor'. Bangladesh's engagement with China for the 'Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project' is a strategic pressure tactic to compel India into signing a treaty. For India, a Chinese presence in northern Bangladesh is highly sensitive because of its proximity to the Siliguri Corridor (the 'Chicken's Neck'), a narrow strip of land connecting mainland India to its northeastern states. This situation exemplifies how unmanaged bilateral disputes can create vulnerabilities that allow extra-regional powers to expand their strategic footprint in India's immediate neighborhood, complicating the Neighbourhood First Policy.

The inability to conclude the Teesta agreement despite the central government's efforts highlights the complexities of Federalism in India, particularly regarding foreign policy implementation. The Constitution of India grants the Union government exclusive power to enter into treaties and agreements with foreign countries under Article 253. However, when these treaties impact subjects on the State List (like water under Entry 17 of State List), domestic political consensus becomes crucial. The West Bengal government's sustained opposition, citing the state's own water needs for agriculture during the dry season, demonstrates how sub-national governments can effectively veto international agreements, creating a tension between federal structure and national foreign policy objectives.

The geography of the Teesta River dictates the hydro-politics between the two nations. The Teesta originates in the Himalayas, flows through Sikkim and West Bengal, and merges with the Jamuna (Brahmaputra) in Bangladesh. As an upper riparian state, India controls the water flow, particularly crucial during the lean season (December to May). India has constructed barrages (like the Gazaldoba barrage) for irrigation and hydropower generation in its northern districts. Bangladesh, a lower riparian state, depends heavily on the river's flow for agriculture in its northern districts. The lack of a formalized, long-term sharing mechanism (unlike the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty of 1996) leads to recurring crises of floods during monsoons and severe water scarcity during dry seasons in Bangladesh, impacting livelihoods and driving the demand for a comprehensive management plan.