India Monitors Bangladesh-China Pact on Teesta River Project

The Ministry of External Affairs of India announced on July 3, 2026, that it will factor recent diplomatic developments into its approach to the Teesta River project. This response follows an official visit by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to Beijing, where he met with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang to sign 13 Memorandums of Understanding and secure Chinese support for the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project.

India and Bangladesh have remained in a deadlock over a water-sharing agreement since 2011, largely due to opposition from the Government of West Bengal. Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India has already conveyed its views to the Bangladeshi side and that development assistance for regional projects follows a mutually agreed, regularly reviewed roadmap.

New Delhi is expressing caution over a broader strategic tilt by the new Bangladeshi government toward Beijing, Turkey, and Pakistan. Indian officials are monitoring China's pledge to support the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor and potential Chinese access to the Mongla Port. These developments raise security concerns for India, specifically regarding Chinese presence near the "chicken's neck" corridor and increased access to the Bay of Bengal. Additionally, India is tracking reports that Bangladesh may purchase J-10 fighter aircraft from China.