UNB, New Delhi: Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday said India will continue discussions on water-related issues, including the Ganges and Teesta water-sharing treaties, within the framework of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC).
“The Ganges Water Treaty is still valid and we will continue to discuss related issues within the framework of the JRC,” Misri said.
He said all are aware that there is a joint rivers commission between the two sides and all the issues of the agenda have been taken up.
The Foreign Secretary noted that India’s objective regarding the Teesta water-sharing agreement remains the same as that discussed with the previous government. "We have put proposals on the table, we remain ready to discuss those proposals, including with the future government that would be elected.”
Misri made the remarks during an interaction with members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Joint Secretary (Bangladesh & Myanmar) B. Shyam, DCAB President AKM Moinuddin and General Secretary Md Arifuzzaman Mamun were present.
Bangladesh and India share 54 rivers, including the Ganges, and have maintained cooperation through the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC), a bilateral mechanism established to address shared water management issues.
Officials from both countries held the 86th meeting of the JRC in Kolkata a few months ago, where they discussed the renewal of the 30-year-old Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, which is set to expire next year.
Bangladesh has also reiterated its long-standing request to finalize an interim agreement on the sharing of Teesta River waters, a draft of which was completed in 2011.
