The Mekong Ganga Cooperation Project is:

Correct Option (b):

The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) was established in 2000 at Vientiane, Laos. It is a sub-regional initiative comprising India and five ASEAN countries: Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The cooperation is founded on the concept of the Ganga and Mekong rivers as civilizational backbones, aiming to promote collaboration across several key areas:

• Promoting tourism.
• Encouraging cultural exchange.
• Enhancing educational cooperation.
• Developing transportation and communication infrastructure.

While the question is from 2001, the MGC Secretariat continues to support initiatives aligned with India's Act East Policy. For instance, digital platforms have been utilized to promote Buddhist and heritage tourism across India, Thailand, and Cambodia. India announced new scholarship schemes and tourism circuits for ASEAN under MGC, with some of these developments noted in early 2025, reflecting the ongoing nature of the cooperation.

Incorrect Options:

The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation is not an irrigation project. Its mandate focuses on socio-cultural, economic, and connectivity aspects rather than water resource management for agriculture.

The MGC is not primarily a hydroelectric power project. While infrastructure development is one of its objectives, it does not specifically focus on large-scale power generation projects. Furthermore, Bangladesh is not a member country of the MGC.

The MGC is a civilian cooperation framework centered on culture, tourism, education, and connectivity. It is not a defence and security agreement between India and its eastern neighbours.