The Ganga Water Treaty of 1996 is a bilateral treaty between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on the sharing of the Ganga/Ganges waters at Farakka. It was signed on December 12, 1996, in New Delhi by Prime Ministers H. D. Deve Gowda of India and Sheikh Hasina Wajed of Bangladesh. The treaty was created to resolve a long-standing dispute over the equitable allocation of the Ganges River's flow, particularly during the dry season. This problem originated with the commissioning of the Farakka Barrage in 1975, which was built to divert water into the Hooghly River to maintain the navigability of the Kolkata Port.
The treaty is valid for 30 years and is set to expire in December 2026. Its core mechanism is a three-tiered formula for water sharing during the lean season, which runs from January 1 to May 31 every year. The allocation is based on the average flow data recorded over 40 years (from 1949 to 1988). The sharing formula is: if the flow at Farakka is 70,000 cusecs or less, the water is shared 50:50. If the flow is between 70,000 and 75,000 cusecs, Bangladesh receives a fixed 35,000 cusecs, and India receives the remainder. If the flow is 75,000 cusecs or more, India receives 40,000 cusecs and Bangladesh receives the balance. Additionally, the treaty guarantees both countries 35,000 cusecs in alternate three 10-day periods between March 11 and May 10.
The treaty connects to the broader concept of transboundary river water sharing, as India and Bangladesh share 54 transboundary rivers. It established a Joint Committee with equal representation from both countries to monitor the daily flows at the Farakka feeder canal and the Hardinge Bridge navigation lock in Bangladesh. Article II(iii) includes an emergency clause, mandating immediate consultations between the two governments if the flow falls below 50,000 cusecs in any 10-day period. The treaty has not been replaced or amended, but it is subject to review every five years or earlier, and its impending expiration in December 2026 has initiated talks for its renewal.