New Delhi: India on Thursday expressed keenness to engage with China over the Brahmaputra dam issue while Beijing played down its plans saying it wants good communication with India and Bangladesh on riparian matters.
“We intend to remain engaged with China on the issue of trans-border rivers to safeguard our interests,” MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava told reporters at the weekly briefing here.
He said: “The Chinese side has conveyed to us on several occasions that they are only undertaking run-of-the-river hydropower projects which do not involve diversion of the waters of the Brahmaputra”.
“We have taken note of some media reports in this regard. Government carefully monitors all developments on the Brahmaputra River. As a lower riparian State with considerable established user rights to the waters of the trans-border rivers, the Government of India 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,” he said.
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.
In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing on Thursday that “Going forward China, India, Bangladesh and other concerned countries will continue to have good communication. There is no need for any anxiety on this matter”. She asserted that the “hydropower development in the lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo river is China’s legitimate right”.
The dams in Tibet are a cause of concern for India as there is fear that the giant neighbour could release large volumes of water in times of military conflicts.
China, as of now, provides hydrological information of Brahmaputra River and Sutlej River to India during the flood seasons. A recent media report has raised concerns in India as China has already operationalised the USD 1.5 billion Zam Hydropower Station, the largest in Tibet in 2015.
Meanwhile on the LAC issue, MEA spokesman said, “As we have conveyed earlier, the two sides continue to maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels with the objective of ensuring complete disengagement in all friction points along the LAC in the Western sector and full restoration of peace and tranquility”.
Anurag Srivastava also said both sides have agreed to have another round of Senior Commanders meeting at an appropriate time.
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