Even as India has urged China to ensure that the interests of states downstream of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by its building of a massive hydropower project on the river, Beijing has maintained that the project will have no negative impact on the lower reaches.
Late last month, China announced that it would begin construction of the world’s largest dam and hydro power project across Bhahmaputra river, known as Yarlung Tsangpo, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
Reacting to that, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday that India, as a lower riparian state with established user rights to the waters of the river, has “consistently expressed, through expert level as well as diplomatic channels, our views and concerns to the Chinese side over mega projects on rivers in their territory”.
“These have been reiterated along with the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries following the latest report. The Chinese side has been urged to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas. We will continue to monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests,” the MEA said.
On Saturday, the Chinese Embassy spokesperson Yu Jing, said on X:
“China has always been responsible for the development of cross-border rivers. China’s hydropower development in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River aims to speed up developing clean energy, and respond to climate change and extreme hydrological disasters.
“The hydropower development there has been studied in an in-depth way for decades, and safeguard measures have been taken for the security of the project and ecological environment protection.
“The project has no negative impact on the lower reaches. China will continue to maintain communication with countries at the lower reaches through existing channels, and step up cooperation on disaster prevention and relief for the benefit of the people by the river.”
