The Teesta issue has emerged as a major test of India-Bangladesh diplomacy, linking Bangladesh’s development needs with India’s security concerns around the narrow Siliguri Corridor, known as the “Chicken’s Neck.” The corridor, only 20 to 22 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, is India’s sole land connection to its northeastern states. The article argues that Teesta can no longer be treated solely as a water-sharing dispute.

Bangladesh has a sovereign right to pursue river restoration, flood control, irrigation and regional development in the Teesta basin, where erosion, irregular rainfall, sedimentation, floods and water shortages have intensified. The article says Chinese-funded infrastructure should not automatically be viewed as a strategic conspiracy, although India’s security agencies consider potential risks where projects overlap with sensitive geography.

The proposed Teesta water-sharing agreement has remained stalled for more than a decade amid domestic political concerns, particularly in West Bengal. The article calls for institutional cooperation beyond annual water talks, including joint basin management, flood forecasting, environmental restoration, climate resilience, cross-border connectivity and strategic transparency.