Carefully monitor all developments related to Brahmaputra: Government of China’s Dam Project

The government is “carefully” monitoring all developments related to the Brahmin River, including plans for China’s hydropower projects, and taking the necessary measures to protect the country’s interests, Parliament learned on Thursday. In a written response to the inquiry of Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh also said that the Indian government is “still engaged in China” on the cross-border river issue to “protect our interests”.

He further said that “preventive and corrective measures” are being taken to protect the lives and livelihoods of Indian citizens living in the downstream areas of Brahmaputra.

Despite India’s impact on downstream water flow and ecological stability, and despite China’s “approval” of a large hydropower project for construction on Yarlung Tsangpo, the Foreign Ministry was asked about the fact that a giant hydropower project had “approved”.
And, if so, the details of India and China’s diplomatic statements about this; and the government’s proposed mitigation strategies, the expected consequences of water supply, silt deposition and biodiversity in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

“The Indian government has noticed a large dam project announced by China to be approved downstream of the Yarlung Tsangpo (upstream of Brahmaputra) in Tibet,” Singh said.

He said the government “carefully monitors all developments related to the Brahmin River, including China’s plans to develop hydropower projects and takes the necessary measures to protect our interests, including preventive and corrective measures, to protect the lives and livelihoods of Indian citizens living in downstream areas”. The minister said that various issues related to cross-border rivers were discussed with China within the scope of the institutionalized expert-level mechanism established in 2006 and through diplomatic channels. “As a lower-level riverbank country with considerable rights to users across border rivers, the government has been communicating its views and concerns to the Chinese authorities and urges them to ensure that the interests of the downstream countries are not damaged by any activities in the upstream areas,” he said.

The center said that after China recently announced the Huge Dam project, the government “registered attention” with China on December 30, 2024, including the need for transparency and consulting with downstream countries.

The minister said the foreign minister also raised the issue during his visit to Beijing.

“During the visit, India and China agreed to hold an early meeting of the expert-level mechanism to discuss the provision of hydrological data and other cooperation related to cross-border rivers,” he said.