New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that India is monitoring China’s building of a dam over the Brahmaputra River and has taken note of media reports about the same.
The Chinese side has assured that they are only undertaking run of river hydropower projects which don’t involve diversion of waters of Brahmaputra, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said during a weekly virtual media briefing.
“We have urged them to ensure that the interest of downstream states isn’t harmed by activities in upstream areas. Chinese side conveyed to us on several occasions that they are only undertaking run of river hydropower projects which don’t involve diversion of rivers of Brahmaputra”, stated Srivastava.
He also said that the government is monitoring the developments and as slower Riparian state with considerable established user rights to water of Transborder Rivers “we have consistently conveyed concerns to China”.
He further said that India intends to remain engaged with China on the issue of transborder rivers to safeguard its interests.
According to reports of Chinese state media, China will be building a hydropower project on the Brahmaputra river (Yarlung Zangbo river) in Tibet, and a company has put forward this proposal for formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).
Originating in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), the trans-border Yarlung Zangbo flows into Arunachal Pradesh where it is called Siang and then to Assam as the Brahmaputra before flowing into Bangladesh.
The new dam’s ability to generate hydropower could be three times that of central China’s Three Gorges Dam, which has the largest installed hydropower capacity in the world.
On being asked about the progress being made on de-escalating border tension between India China, the MEA said, “The border talks between India and China remain stalemated on the core issue that both sides need to strictly follow the various bilateral agreements and protocols in their entirety.
Indicating that India is prepared for the long haul], the MEA said these agreements required that there should not be amassing of troops. Each side should strictly abide by and respect the LAC and should not take any unilateral action to alter it.
The Indian objective is to ensure complete disengagement in all friction points along the LAC in the western sector and full restoration of peace and tranquillity, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava told media.
Most importantly, updating media on the trials Kulbhushan Jadav, the MEA spokesperson said that Pakistan is trying to link the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav with another case.
“In routine consular practice, Shahnawaz Noon was selected to represent our high commission in a case for the release of an Indian prisoner, Mohammed Ismail. During the proceedings of Ismail's case, Pakistan Attorney General raised the matter about Jadhav, though these two cases are not interconnected. Noon is reported to have made those statements about our CDA which aren't true and are in contravention of our stand in this case”, Srivastava said.
It appears that Noon acted under pressure from Pakistani establishment to make such statements for which he has no authorization. He was told that he had no authority to either represent the government of India or Kulbhushan Jadhav, he added.
ALSO READ: 'China's Tsangpo dam only with India, Bangladesh collaboration'
