Bangladesh turns to China on Teesta: Should India be concerned?

Key Points:

• Bangladesh and China agreed to strengthen cooperation on the management of the Teesta and other rivers, signing 13 agreements to boost bilateral ties during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to Beijing.
• The cooperation includes areas such as the Teesta Master Plan, river management, flood-risk mitigation, dredging, erosion control, irrigation, and inland navigation, with Bangladesh seeking China's technical assistance for its river excavation and flood control programs.
• The Teesta water-sharing issue is sensitive for India, and Bangladesh's growing cooperation with China on this river may impact Dhaka-New Delhi relations, especially as India has also offered technical assistance for the Teesta basin in 2024.
• China reaffirmed its support for Bangladesh's sovereignty and development, expressed interest in expanding economic cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and emphasized mutual prosperity through new energy, digital economy, and AI industries.
• Rahman highlighted that developing relations with China is a foreign policy priority for Bangladesh and reiterated adherence to the one-China principle, opposing any form of "Taiwan independence."