India on Friday responded cautiously to Bangladesh’s decision to pursue the development of the Teesta River and a proposed economic corridor with China’s support, saying it is closely monitoring developments in the neighbourhood and will take “appropriate measures” whenever necessary.
The remarks came after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to China last month, during which Dhaka and Beijing agreed to cooperate on the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project. China has also announced plans to advance the proposed China-Bangladesh-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CBMEC).
Responding to questions during the Ministry of External Affairs’ weekly media briefing, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India is keeping a close watch on regional developments and would shape its response accordingly.
India Reiterates Position on Teesta Project
“We closely follow all such developments in our neighbourhood and take appropriate measures as required,” Jaiswal said.
Addressing the Teesta project specifically, he noted that India’s development assistance for projects in Bangladesh is guided by a mutually agreed roadmap that is reviewed regularly by both sides.
Jaiswal also said India’s position on the Teesta River project had already been communicated to Bangladesh. “We will factor all related developments in our overall approach to the Teesta issue,” he said, without providing further details.
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Bangladesh Deepens Cooperation With China
India has been closely watching Bangladesh’s efforts to involve China in major infrastructure projects. The process began under the caretaker administration led by Muhammad Yunus and has continued under the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government headed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
During his visit to Beijing last month, Rahman met Chinese Water Resources Minister Li Guoying and sought China’s technical support for Bangladesh’s river management initiatives, including the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project.
According to the Bangladeshi side, Li assured Dhaka of China’s full cooperation in water resource management. Chinese experts have already completed a feasibility study for the Teesta project.
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China Pushes Ahead With Economic Corridor
Speaking to reporters in Dhaka on Thursday, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen said Beijing remains committed to working with Bangladesh and Myanmar to develop the China-Bangladesh-Myanmar Economic Corridor.
He also said China is moving forward with government-to-government cooperation on the Teesta River project, signalling Beijing’s continued involvement in the initiative.
If completed, the CBMEC would provide China with direct access to the Bay of Bengal. India has also expressed concerns that Chinese personnel working on the Teesta project could gain access to areas close to the strategically significant Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the “Chicken’s Neck”, the narrow stretch of land linking India’s northeastern states with the rest of the country.
