New Delhi: India has reiterated that it is closely monitoring developments related to China’s construction of a ‘mega dam’ on the Tsangpo River, known as the Brahmaputra, once it enters Indian territory. The government, addressing Parliament on Thursday, confirmed it remains vigilant regarding China’s hydropower ambitions and their potential impact on downstream regions in India and Bangladesh.
Speaking on the last day of the monsoon session, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Singh informed the House that the matter had been raised during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Delhi. The project was first made public by China in 1986, and since then, India has kept a watchful eye on all developments associated with Beijing’s hydropower expansion plans.
“The government continues to monitor developments that could affect the lives and livelihoods of our citizens in downstream areas,” Singh said, as per the reports, underscoring the measures India is taking to protect its interests. These include diplomatic engagements and efforts to maintain the flow of hydrological data essential for flood forecasting and water management.
Singh also pointed to the historical significance of a 2002 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China for sharing water flow data, which had been renewed periodically in 2008, 2013, and 2018. However, in 2017, China failed to provide the agreed data, citing technical difficulties. India has since consistently emphasised the importance of transparent information sharing on transboundary rivers, including during Jaishankar’s visit to China in July for a regional security summit.
Last month, Chinese state media reported that construction of the dam had officially commenced. According to Xinhua, the dam, positioned on the lower reaches of the Tsangpo, will include five hydropower stations and represents an investment of approximately 1.2 trillion yuan (around $167.1 billion). The electricity generated is expected to be distributed nationwide and contribute to China’s carbon neutrality objectives and economic development plans.
The sheer scale of the project could surpass that of the iconic Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River, raising concerns over its possible effects on populations downstream. India had already conveyed its concerns to China in January, urging Beijing to ensure that upstream activities do not adversely affect lower riparian states.
China, in response, assured that the dam would not cause any “negative impact” on downstream nations. A spokesperson stated, “China will also maintain communication with countries at the lower reaches” of the river.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, whose state is directly dependent on the Brahmaputra’s flow, sought to ease apprehensions, remarking, “I am not immediately worried because Brahmaputra is a mighty river. Brahmaputra gets most of its waters from Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, and the rainwater and other forms of water from our state itself.”