Revitalising Northeast India’s river networks—from the Brahmaputra to the Kaladan—is vital for regional trade, water diplomacy, strategic connectivity, and integrating the region as a sustainable Indo-Pacific gateway for commerce and cooperation
Northeast India, comprising eight states of varied character, is among the most riverine and ecologically diverse regions in Asia. The region’s landscape was shaped by the colossal collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates in the Himalayas, creating a network of slopes and valleys that channel water from north to south and east to west. This terrain enables rivers to descend rapidly, transporting sediments accumulated over millennia to form the fertile floodplains of Assam, Bangladesh and beyond. At the heart of this hydrological system lies the Brahmaputra River, known in Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo. It originates in the Angsi Glacier on the northern slopes of the Himalayas, flows eastward through Tibet, then takes a sharp U-turn at Namcha Barwa and enters Arunachal Pradesh. From there, it meanders through Assam before joining the River Padma—the local name for the Ganges—in Bangladesh and draining into the Bay of Bengal. Along its course, it is augmented by tributaries from across Northeast India. The Brahmaputra thus functions as a key transportation corridor and a lifeline for agriculture, irrigation and hydropower generation. It also provides vital riverine connections to India’s neighbours: China, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, positioning the Northeast as a strategic link between the Indian subcontinent and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
The Brahmaputra thus functions as a key transportation corridor and a lifeline for agriculture, irrigation and hydropower generation.
The Brahmaputra and Barak Rivers have historically been navigated for trade, commerce and expeditions in Northeast India. Before the partition of India, these waterways were regularly used for commercial purposes. The East India Company established the water route from Kolkata to Dibrugarh as early as 1844. Steamships were used to ferry passengers and cargo, particularly tea, between Assam and Kolkata via East Bengal (present-day Bangladesh) from 1847 onwards. Around the same period, the British connected Silchar in southern Assam with Kolkata port by developing the Barak–Surma–Meghna waterway, a route later disrupted after Sylhet was ceded to East Bengal in 1947. In the pre-independence era, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Pandu (Guwahati), Neamati, Tezpur and Jogigopa were important ports in the Brahmaputra Valley. Meanwhile, Badarpur, Karimganj and Silchar served as key ports in the Barak Valley. Traffic from these Brahmaputra and Barak ports was routed to Kolkata via Narayanpur, Khulna, Chandpur, Chilmari and Dhaka, all of which are now in Bangladesh.
Under the National Waterways Act 2016, special emphasis has been placed on restoring the hydropower potential and navigational capacity of the Brahmaputra and Barak river network. As a result, the trade potential of the Brahmaputra River (National Waterway NW-2) has increased significantly. Approximately 6 lakh tonnes of cargo, including food grains, fertilisers, bamboo and building materials, is transported through NW-2. The Barak River has traditionally facilitated trade between the Barak Valley region and Bengal. In 2016, the navigable stretch from Lakhimpur to Bhanga was declared National Waterway NW-16. However, further steps are required to facilitate inter- and intra-state trade via this river. Challenges such as inadequate dredging and a lack of serviceable river ports limit its commercial viability. Trade volumes on both NW-2 and NW-16 remain relatively low compared with NW-1 (the Ganga–Bhagirathi–Hooghly) at present.
Among other important waterways in the Northeast, the same applies to Sikkim’s primary river, the Teesta. It originates in the glaciers of northern Sikkim, joins the Rangit and Rangpo rivers and flows southward to form the border with West Bengal before entering the Bay of Bengal via Bangladesh. The Teesta is significant both for its hydroelectric potential and its role in supporting agriculture and livelihoods in North Bengal and Bangladesh. Historically, it served as the oldest riverine trade route between Tibet and the inner Himalayan markets, used by traders travelling from China to the Bay of Bengal. Water sharing of the Teesta has long been a concern between India and Bangladesh, limiting the development of critical infrastructure necessary for its commercial use.
Under the National Waterways Act 2016, special emphasis has been placed on restoring the hydropower potential and navigational capacity of the Brahmaputra and Barak river network.
The Manipur River was navigable for expeditions and used by the Japanese Army during the Second World War. Although it flows through Myanmar, its potential as an alternative gateway to the Bay of Bengal has not yet been explored, likely due to the difficult terrain, particularly on the Myanmar side. By contrast, the Kaladan River, which originates in Mizoram (Northeast India) and flows through Myanmar, could play a crucial role as a substitute to the Siliguri Corridor, independent of Bangladesh. The river links Mizoram to Sittwe port in Myanmar’s Rakhine State via the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP). The Sittwe port is expected to become fully operational by 2027. Once functional, it could facilitate trade opportunities not only for Northeast India and Myanmar but also for neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
However, recent political turmoil in Bangladesh and Myanmar has highlighted the complexities surrounding the port’s prospects as a hub of sub-regional cooperation. In this context, India must act swiftly to realise the strategic and economic benefits envisioned from Sittwe Port. A long-term stable bilateral relationship with Bangladesh is essential, as is engagement with the various stakeholders controlling different parts of Myanmar, including the military junta. The Government of India is actively engaging with both the junta and the Arakan Army to safeguard its interests in the strategically located Sittwe Port, which offers an alternative route between India’s eastern coast and the Northeast.
The Look East Policy (LEP), launched in 1991, did not originally include Northeast India, but was gradually involved, and rose to the forefront as the LEP morphed into the Act East Policy. Water diplomacy has emerged as a crucial component of this strategy, leveraging transboundary rivers such as the Brahmaputra, Barak and Kaladan to strengthen connectivity, economic integration and strategic ties with Southeast Asia. This approach involves managing shared water resources to foster collaboration, mitigate conflict with neighbours, and safeguard energy and trade interests, contributing to regional stability. Consequently, the Indian Government has recently invested substantially in the river network of Northeast India.
Water diplomacy has emerged as a crucial component of this strategy, leveraging transboundary rivers such as the Brahmaputra, Barak and Kaladan to strengthen connectivity, economic integration and strategic ties with Southeast Asia.
For example, the Kopili River has been made functional for interstate traffic, and the Pandu River Port was developed to connect it to the East–West Corridor. Cargo movement on the Sadiya–Dhubri section of the Brahmaputra has increased, transporting six lakh tonnes of consignments annually to neighbouring countries. The rivers of Northeast India are more than natural assets; they are lifelines and strategic arteries linking geography to geopolitics, mountains to the sea, countries to villages, and small river ports to global trade routes. However, a clear roadmap is required to complete dredging, repair embankments, and install river groynes and barrages to revitalise interstate trade. In addition, numerous bilateral and multilateral connectivity and infrastructure projects—such as the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway, Moreh–Tamu–Kalewa Road, the KMTTP, the Myanmar–India–Bangladesh gas pipeline, the Tamanthi Hydroelectricity Project, and the optical fibre network—which were initially envisaged under the LEP, have either lapsed or remain pending. It is imperative to leverage the momentum of the Act East Policy to ensure substantive, tangible outcomes for these projects at the earliest.
Northeast India holds the potential to emerge as a significant business hub for sub-regional cooperation and connect more closely with the Indo-Pacific. However, to realise this potential, India must act urgently to revitalise the river networks in the region and link them with the rest of the country. With growing strains in ties with Dhaka, there is increasing concern that Bangladesh may no longer serve as the pivot for India’s Act East ambitions, as had been anticipated in the recent past. In this context, it is imperative to operationalise the KMTTP and Sittwe Port at the earliest to secure reliable maritime access for the Northeast. Concurrently, India must continue efforts to strengthen ties with both Bangladesh and Myanmar to integrate the Northeast seamlessly into the broader Indo-Pacific architecture.
Joyati Bhattacharya is Professor of Political Science at Assam (Central) University, Silchar, specialising in India’s foreign policy and Northeast India.
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Joyati Bhattacharya is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at Assam (Central) University, Silchar, Assam. Previously, she served as the Dean of the ...
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