New Delhi, Nov. 4 -- The Ganga Water Sharing Treaty between India and Bangladesh is up for renewal, presenting a window of opportunity to rethink not only the allocation of river water but also the governance of shared rivers in South Asia. The 30-year agreement dated December 12, 1996, deals with the sharing of Ganga waters at the Farakka Barrage in West Bengal. The agreement ends in December 2026.

Bihar's demand that its water-security issues be resolved before the agreement is renewed has added a new dimension to the dispute. But the escalating political tussle risks turning the issue into a battle between the water rights of Bangladesh and the interests of Bihar. This framing overlooks the more fundamental question of whether a river...