If India and Bangladesh fail to revive momentum on Teesta, the dispute risks evolving into a far larger geopolitical contest — one which China would seek to exploit
West Bengal has long been at loggerheads with the Centre over sharing Teesta river waters with Bangladesh. However, the recent defeat of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress in the Assembly elections has opened a rare window for the federal government to move towards resolving the issue.
The urgency to address the long-pending dispute has grown as Bangladesh’s new government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman seeks Beijing’s support for the Teesta restoration project while simultaneously pressing India to revive the stalled 2011 water-sharing agreement.
The urgency to address the long-pending dispute has grown as Bangladesh’s new government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman seeks Beijing’s support for the Teesta restoration project while simultaneously pressing India to revive the stalled 2011 water-sharing agreement.