Few issues in India-Bangladesh relations evoke as much emotion as the Teesta River.
For Bangladesh, the Teesta is a lifeline for millions of farmers in the northern districts.
For India, particularly the state of West Bengal and the Himalayan region of Sikkim, the river is equally vital for agriculture, livelihoods and development.
This is precisely why the Teesta should not be viewed as a dispute between two competing sides, but as a shared challenge that can only be solved through partnership.
The Teesta originates in the eastern Himalayas of Sikkim, flows through northern West Bengal and enters Bangladesh before joining the Jamuna River.
Along its journey, it sustains communities, agriculture, and ecosystems in both countries. More importantly, it binds together the futures of two nations whose prosperity is increasingly interconnected.
For Bangladesh, the river is critical to food security. The Teesta basin supports millions of people across Rangpur and surrounding districts. During the dry season, reduced water flow affects irrigation, crop yields, and rural incomes.
Farmers frequently complain that water shortages limit their ability to cultivate multiple crops annually. As climate change increases weather volatility, these concerns have become even more pressing.
India, however, faces its own legitimate concerns. The Teesta supports irrigation projects in North Bengal and contributes to hydropower generation in Sikkim. Farmers in Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Kalimpong, and Darjeeling districts also depend on the river.
Any durable agreement must therefore balance the needs of citizens on both sides of the border. This reality often gets lost in political debates.
Water sharing is not simply a diplomatic exercise. It involves competing seasonal demands, changing rainfall patterns, ecological sustainability, and the interests of state governments and local communities. A successful agreement must acknowledge these complexities rather than ignore them.
Yet despite these challenges, the case for cooperation has never been stronger. India and Bangladesh today enjoy one of the most successful bilateral relationships in South Asia.
Bilateral trade has grown dramatically over the past decade, crossing $15 billion annually. India has become one of Bangladesh’s most important economic partners, while Bangladesh is India’s largest trading partner in the region.
The two countries have also achieved remarkable success in areas where many believed progress was impossible. The 2015 Land Boundary Agreement peacefully resolved a dispute that had persisted since Partition. Security cooperation reached unprecedented levels. Connectivity links that disappeared decades ago are being restored through railways, waterways, and road networks.
The Teesta now stands out as one of the last major unresolved issues in an otherwise thriving partnership.
There is also a compelling strategic argument for reaching an agreement. Both countries face the growing challenge of climate change. South Asia is becoming increasingly vulnerable to floods, droughts, and erratic rainfall. Himalayan glaciers are retreating, weather patterns are becoming less predictable, and water management is emerging as a national security issue.
In this environment, simply dividing water will not be enough.
India and Bangladesh need a broader framework based on joint river basin management. This should include real-time data sharing, flood forecasting, water conservation projects, efficient irrigation systems, and environmental protection measures.
A modern agreement should focus not only on sharing water but also on increasing the overall availability and efficient use of water.
The economic benefits would be significant. Improved water management could boost agricultural productivity, strengthen food security, and support rural development on both sides of the border.
It would also create greater political trust, making cooperation easier in areas such as trade, energy, connectivity and investment.
Most importantly, a Teesta agreement would send a powerful message about the future of South Asia.
At a time when many regions of the world are witnessing growing competition over resources, India and Bangladesh would demonstrate that shared rivers can become instruments of cooperation rather than sources of conflict.
Neither country can solve the Teesta challenge alone. Geography makes them partners whether they choose it or not. Its future therefore depends not on unilateral actions but on mutual understanding.
The good news is that both countries already possess the foundation for success. Decades of cooperation, strong people-to-people ties, growing economic interdependence, and a history of overcoming difficult challenges provide reasons for optimism.
The Teesta should no longer be viewed as a symbol of what India and Bangladesh have failed to achieve. Instead, it should become the next great success story in a relationship that has repeatedly shown what is possible when neighbours work together.
For India and Bangladesh, the choice is clear: Shared waters, shared responsibility and ultimately, shared prosperity.
Rishi Suri is the chief editor at The Daily Milap, one of India’s oldest and largest Urdu newspapers. He can be reached at [email protected]. Views expressed are the writer’s own.
