India Asks China To Ensure Interests Of Downstream While Building Dams On Brahmaputra

Ever since China announced its plans to construct the dam on Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, India raised the issue at different levels of bilateral talks.

New Delhi:Stating that the Government of India has taken note of China's announcement of a mega-dam project approved on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo (upper reaches of the Brahmaputra) River in the Tibet Autonomous Region, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Kirti Vardhan Singh on Thursday said India has already urged China to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas.

He said that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has also raised India's concern with China during his visit to Beijing. "The issue was raised during the visit of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Beijing for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism between India and China. During the visit, India and China agreed to hold an early meeting of the Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers," Singh said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

He said that various issues relating to trans-border rivers are discussed with China under the ambit of an institutionalised Expert Level Mechanism which was established in 2006, as well as through diplomatic channels.

"As a lower riparian state with considerable established user rights to the waters of the transboundary rivers, the Government has consistently conveyed its views and concerns to the Chinese authorities, and has urged them to ensure that the interests of downstream states are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas," Singh informed.

Following the recent announcement by China of the mega dam project, “we have amplified our concerns and demarched them on December 30, 2024, including on the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries," he said. The Minister informed that the Government of India intends to remain engaged with China on the issue of trans-border rivers to safeguard our interests.

"Government carefully monitors all developments relating to the Brahmaputra river, including plans by China to develop hydropower projects, and takes necessary measures to protect our interests, including preventive and corrective measures to safeguard life and livelihood of Indian citizens residing in downstream areas," Singh said.

In December last, China disclosed its plans to build the world's largest dam on the Brahmaputra River, known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet. What has raised concerns of environmental activists is the fact that the dam will be built in an environmentally-sensitive Himalayan zone in Tibet, very close to the border with India.

Besides the impact on the environment, the region is geologically fragile too as it falls in a high seismic zone and hence is prone to earthquakes of a relatively higher magnitude. India has already expressed its concern to China highlighting factors that could be affected by the proposed dam.