# India-Bangladesh Ganges Water Treaty renewal

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/india-bangladesh-ganges-water-treaty-renewal
> Updated: 2026-09-29T16:12:12.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

Bangladesh has formally requested that India begin negotiations to renew the Ganges Water Treaty, which is scheduled to expire in December 2026. While the request was submitted in June, Bangladeshi officials noted a lack of formal response from the Indian government during the initial stages of the process.

Internal political pressures in India have complicated the outlook, with concerns raised in Bihar regarding irrigation and drinking water, and in West Bengal regarding riverbank erosion and port navigability. Experts have suggested that future negotiations should consider basin-wide management to address climate change and shifting environmental needs.

As of late September 2026, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that discussions are continuing at a technical level. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that all matters concerning the Ganges and other shared rivers will be addressed through the existing Joint River Commission.

Concurrently, the Bangladesh government is conducting a review of 101 bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding signed with India. Nurul Islam Moni, Chief Whip of the Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad, clarified that this review aims to identify and resolve inconsistencies to ensure agreements serve Bangladesh’s national interests, rather than to cancel them. Bangladesh continues to seek a new agreement based on water availability and equal sharing.

## Claims

- Discussions regarding the Ganga Water Treaty and other shared rivers will be conducted through the Joint River Commission. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Technical level meetings regarding the Ganga Water Treaty are currently ongoing. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The Bangladesh government is reviewing 101 agreements and memorandums of understanding signed with India. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The review aims to identify and resolve inconsistencies in agreements to better serve Bangladesh's interests. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Bangladesh seeks a new water-sharing agreement for the Ganges based on availability and equal distribution. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The existing 30-year Ganges water-sharing treaty between India and Bangladesh is set to expire on December 12. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-29: Ganges Water Treaty: India and Bangladesh continue technical discussions

India and Bangladesh are continuing technical discussions on the Ganges Water Treaty via the Joint River Commission as Bangladesh reviews 101 bilateral agreements for potential inconsistencies.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/india-and-bangladesh-to-discuss-ganges-water-treaty-via-joint-river-commission

### 2026-09-13: Ganges Water Treaty renewal looms for India and Bangladesh

Bangladesh has requested talks to renew the Ganges Water Treaty before its 2026 expiry, amid regional political tensions and changing environmental needs in India and Bangladesh.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ganges-water-treaty-renewal-looms-for-india-and-bangladesh

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Cite as: India-Bangladesh Ganges Water Treaty renewal. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/india-bangladesh-ganges-water-treaty-renewal