GUWAHATI: India is keeping a close eye on China's plans to harness hydropower projects in the Brahmaputra River, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Thursday.
He clarified that the Indian government keeps a close watch and takes appropriate preventive and corrective measures to ensure the life and livelihood of people living in the downstream regions.
The planned Chinese dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet is supposed to produce 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year.
It has, however, raised doubts about its implications on water and biodiversity in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. India has already conveyed its concerns to China on 30 December 2024 and has stressed that it needs more transparency and downstream countries' consultations.
India reasserted these issues during the Foreign Secretary's visit to Beijing for the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism meeting on 26-27 January 2025. Both nations decided to have an early Expert Level Mechanism meeting to address the resumption of hydrological data sharing and other cooperation on transboundary rivers. The Indian government continues to engage with China to safeguard its interests in this key issue.
In order to offset the possible effects of China's dam, India is developing a 10 GW hydropower plant in Arunachal Pradesh.
The project will improve water security, regulate floods, and facilitate regional economic growth. In taking the initiative to address China's hydropower plans, India aims to protect its ecological and strategic interests in the Brahmaputra basin.
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