How effective has the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission been in managing shared rivers? Suggest reforms.

The Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) was set up in 1972. India calls it the "structured mechanism" for all cross-border rivers [1]. The Ganga Water Treaty expires on 12 December 2026 [1]. Judged against that deadline, the JRC has been only partly effective: it is good at technical contact but slow to deliver political outcomes.

Achievements

• Data and monitoring: Technical-level JRC meetings, the latest in March 2025, are a set forum for sharing data and monitoring rivers jointly [2]. Sharing at Farakka has worked for three decades without breaking down.
• Negotiated outcomes: The 38th ministerial JRC meeting (Aug 2022) finalised the Kushiyara MoU [3]. Under it, each side may withdraw up to 153 cusecs in the dry season [4].

Limitations

• Irregular, slow working: Ministerial meetings are rare. Even in Aug 2025, talks on renewing the Ganga treaty were "yet to commence" [2].
• Federal deadlock beyond its reach: The Teesta draft, agreed in 2011, is still unsigned [5]. The JRC cannot settle the dispute between the Centre and West Bengal.
• Narrow mandate: The JRC divides water volumes. But the 1996 treaty has no minimum flow for drought years, although the 1977 agreement had one [6]. It also ignores environmental flows, silt and Sundarbans salinity.
• Losing its exclusive role: In June 2025, Bangladesh joined the UN Water Convention [7]. This shows Dhaka now looking for a multilateral framework beyond the JRC.

Reforms

• Permanent secretariat with a fixed meeting calendar. Joint studies should update the treaty's decades-old flow data.
• Drought protocol: Set a trigger flow level. Below it, both sides must consult and share the shortfall. This follows the "no significant harm" duty in Article 7 of the 1997 UN Watercourses Convention [8].
• Basin approach: Add e-flows and Sundarbans health targets, and manage more common rivers jointly.
• Formal state role: West Bengal already takes part in inter-ministerial talks [2]. It should also sit in JRC technical teams.
• Shorter renewal terms with a mid-term review, so deadlines are not reached with talks still unstarted.

The JRC has kept India–Bangladesh water ties peaceful and based on data, but slow and narrow in scope. Turning it into a basin-level body that includes the states would make the 2026 deadline an opportunity. That would strengthen Neighbourhood First and support SDG 6.5 on cooperation over cross-border water.