Context: Amidst reports that China plans to build a major dam on the Brahmaputra, India on Thursday said it “carefully monitors” all developments relating to the river, and that it intends to remain engaged with China on the issue of trans-border rivers to safeguard its interests. The Brahmaputra river, known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in China, originates from Tibet and flows into Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.  At a media briefing, earlier this week, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the Chinese side has conveyed to India on several occasions that it was only undertaking run-of-the-river hydropower projects, which do not involve diversion of the waters of the Brahmaputra. Noting that 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, the MEA spokesperson said,”we intend to remain engaged with China on the issue of trans-border rivers to safeguard our interests.” In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry said there is no need to have “any anxiety” over the project and that China will continue to have “good communication” with lower riparian states – India and Bangladesh.

China’s Previous Projects

• In 2015, China operationalised its first hydropower project at Zangmu in Tibet, while three other dams at Dagu, Jiexu and Jiacha are being developed, all on the upper and middle reaches of the river.

Key Points

• It has been reported that a state-owned hydropower company has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) government in this regard.
• The project is expected to play a significant role in realising China’s goal of reaching a carbon emissions peak before 2030 and carbon neutrality in 2060.
• While the location of the new project is not clear, it could be at the “Great Bend” of the Brahmaputra and at the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon in Medog county.
• This is where the river falls spectacularly over a 2,000 metre-drop and turns sharply to flow across the border into Arunachal Pradesh.

Associated Concerns

• This will be the first time the downstream sections of the river Brahmaputra will be tapped.
• The construction of a dam would have potential ramifications for India.
• The recent development is seen as a new phase in China’s hydropower exploitation.
• India has expressed concerns to China over the four dams on the upper and middle reaches.
• However, Indian officials have said the dams are not likely to impact the quantity of the Brahmaputra’s flows in India greatly because they are only storing water for power generation and the Brahmaputra is not entirely dependent on upstream flows with an estimated 35% of its basin in India.
• If approved, a dam at the Great Bend would raise fresh concerns, considering its location downstream and just across the border from Arunachal Pradesh.

Road Ahead

• India is required to go beyond the exchange of hydrological data and ask China for information on the topographic condition of the whole basin.
• Any forward movement on ensuring hydro-security in the Brahmaputra basin would require a long-term understanding between the two countries. It is necessary for India to engage China in a sustained dialogue and secure a water-sharing treaty that serves the interests of both the countries.

Also Read:https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/IAS/MjM4ODA0/Chinese-dam-projects-on-Brahmaputra-Geography-IAS