MEA Secretary-East Rudrendra Tandon (left) and MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal (right) during a media briefing in New Delhi on July 3, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Days after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited China, where the two sides discussed the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP), India on Friday (July 3, 2026) said its development assistance to projects in Bangladesh works on the basis of a “mutually agreed roadmap” and that India will consider “all related developments” in formulating an “overall approach” to the Teesta river-related project.The issue came up during a press briefing by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, who was asked a question on whether the Bangladesh-China decision to have a feasibility report on TRCMRP will impact India’s projects in Bangladesh.“India’s development assistance for projects in Bangladesh is based on a mutually agreed roadmap, which is regularly reviewed. Our views on the Teesta river project have been previously conveyed to the Bangladesh side. We will factor all related developments in our overall approach to the Teesta issue,” said Mr. Jaiswal.Officials later clarified that India’s statement did not indicate any displeasure at Bangladesh’s decision to go ahead with discussing the Teesta project with China as India-Bangladesh ties stand on their own merit. The sharing of Teesta river water has been under discussion between India and Bangladesh for decades but since 2011, the two neighbours have remained in deadlock with the talks over an agreement.Bangladesh started discussions with China on building a restoration and management project along the river during Sheikh Hasina’s prime ministership. In 2024, India shared its plans on the river with Ms. Hasina when then-Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra had visited Dhaka. In June that year, Ms. Hasina paid a visit to India when a joint statement mentioned that India would provide assistance for the “conservation and management” of the Teesta river inside Bangladesh. Ms. Hasina’s government was toppled in a public uprising in August 2024 and subsequently, discussions did not take place during the 15-month-long interim government.While the Teesta issue has received attention during Tarique Rahman’s China visit in the last week of June, there are big-ticket issues in India-Bangladesh ties that require attention. Diplomats here have pointed out that the renewal of the Ganga water treaty is one such matter that requires urgent attention, as the agreement has to be renewed by December 31 this year. Published - July 03, 2026 11:04 pm IST
