The long-standing Teesta River water-sharing dispute between India and Bangladesh has now expanded beyond a bilateral issue. With Bangladesh involving China in the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP), the matter has gained a strong geopolitical and security dimension involving all three countries.

What Is the Teesta Project?

Bangladesh has launched the TRCMRP to address persistent issues related to the Teesta River, including:

• Seasonal water shortages

• Severe flooding

• Riverbank erosion

• Silt accumulation affecting flow

The project is estimated at nearly $980 million, with Bangladesh reportedly seeking significant financial and technical support from China.

How China Entered the Project

China’s involvement began through long-term discussions on infrastructure and water management cooperation:

• Bangladesh explored Chinese financing worth about $725 million

• An agreement framework was discussed as early as 2016

• In March 2025, Bangladesh formally welcomed China’s participation in a joint statement during high-level talks

Although China has attempted to align the project with its Belt and Road Initiative, Bangladesh has not officially categorized it under that framework.

Why India Is Concerned

India’s concerns are driven less by the water project itself and more by its strategic location.

1. Proximity to the Siliguri Corridor

The project area lies close to the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the “Chicken’s Neck,” a narrow but critical land link connecting India’s northeastern states to the mainland.

India views this region as highly sensitive because:

• It is geographically narrow and strategically vulnerable

• Any foreign presence nearby is closely monitored

• It is vital for military and civilian connectivity to the Northeast

2. Strategic Presence of China

India’s concern is not about infrastructure alone, but about:

• Long-term presence of Chinese engineers and technical teams

• Possible dual-use infrastructure implications

• Expanding Chinese influence in India’s immediate neighborhood

Even non-military infrastructure projects can have strategic implications in sensitive border-adjacent regions.

3. Growing Regional Influence Competition

The involvement of China adds another layer to already complex India–Bangladesh relations, where both countries are balancing:

• Economic cooperation

• Water-sharing disputes

• Infrastructure partnerships

• Strategic alignment in South Asia

The Long-Standing Water Dispute

The Teesta issue itself remains unresolved between India and Bangladesh:

• Bangladesh claims insufficient dry-season water flow

• It sometimes receives only 200–300 cusecs, while requiring much more

• India’s upstream dams and irrigation systems also influence flow patterns

A proposed agreement in 2011 failed due to domestic political disagreements within India, and the issue has remained unresolved since.

Why the Issue Became Diplomatic Again

What was once a technical water-sharing issue has now become a multi-layered diplomatic challenge because:

• Water scarcity remains unresolved

• China has entered the equation

• Strategic geography has become central

• Trust and negotiation dynamics have become more complex

Why Bangladesh Involves China

For Bangladesh, the priority is development and water management:

• Controlling floods

• Improving irrigation in northern regions

• Preventing river erosion

• Securing large-scale infrastructure funding

China offers both financial capacity and technical expertise, making it an attractive partner for large projects.

The Bigger Geopolitical Picture

The Teesta project now sits at the intersection of:

• India–Bangladesh bilateral relations

• China’s expanding South Asian footprint

• Strategic sensitivity of the Siliguri Corridor

• Regional infrastructure diplomacy

The Bottom Line

China’s entry into the Teesta River project has transformed a long-pending water-sharing issue into a broader strategic concern for India and a diplomatic balancing challenge for Bangladesh. What was once a regional resource dispute is now part of the larger geopolitical competition shaping South Asia’s future.