Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - China has responded to India’s concerns over Teesta cooperation with Bangladesh, saying the project is a livelihood and river-restoration effort and is not directed at any third party. The dispute matters because the Teesta flows close to India’s sensitive northeastern region, making New Delhi wary of deeper Chinese involvement.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Beijing-Bangladesh cooperation “does not target any third party” and should be free from outside influence. He said China is ready to support the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project because Bangladesh attaches high importance to it, and because China sees water conservancy and livelihood improvement as key areas for collaboration. His comments came as Bangladesh and China agreed to strengthen cooperation on managing the Teesta and other rivers, including technical feasibility work for the project.

India’s concern stems from the river’s location and strategic context: Teesta passes through India before entering Bangladesh, and the basin sits close to the Siliguri Corridor, a narrow land link connecting India’s mainland to the northeastern states. Reports say China has shown interest in the project for years, including earlier technical studies and financing offers, which has kept the issue sensitive in India-Bangladesh ties. Bangladesh, meanwhile, says the collaboration is aimed at flood control, irrigation, river management and environmental protection rather than geopolitics.

China is framing its role as developmental and technical, while India is watching the Teesta project closely because of its strategic location. The project has become a small but telling example of how water management, infrastructure and regional influence intersect in South Asia.