India raises concerns over China’s dam, says safeguarding downstream a priority

New Delhi, Aug 22: Expressing India’s concern over China’s move of constructing a mega dam on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) river in Tibet, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had taken up the issue with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his recent visit to India.

Confirming this in the Parliament on Thursday, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said, “The Government of India has taken note of reports about commencement of the construction of a mega dam project by China on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet. It was most recently taken up by the External Affairs Minister with the Chinese Foreign Minister during his visit to India. This project was first made public as far back as 1986 and since then, preparations have been under way in China.”

He said that the government carefully monitors all developments relating to the Brahmaputra river, including plans by China to develop hydropower projects, and takes necessary measures to protect India’s interests, including preventive and corrective measures to safeguard life and livelihood of Indian citizens residing in downstream areas.

“Various issues relating to trans-border rivers are discussed with China under the ambit of an institutionalized Expert Level Mechanism which was established in 2006, as well as through diplomatic channels.

“As a lower riparian State with considerable established user rights to the waters of the trans-border rivers, the government has consistently conveyed its views and concerns over activities in upstream areas to the Chinese authorities, including on the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries and has urged them to ensure that the interests of downstream slates are not harmed by them,” Singh said in reply to a question by Congress MP Jeba Mather Hisham in the Rajya Sabha.

He said that India and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on provision of hydrological information on Yaluzangbu/Brahmaputra river in the flood season in 2002 which was renewed in 2008, 2013 and 2018.

Further, another MoU for the provision of flood season hydrological information of the Langqen Zangbo/Sutlej river in flood season by China to India was signed in 2005 and was renewed in 2010 and 2015 for another five years.

However, when the Chinese side did not provide the information on the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers in 2017, the issue was taken up with the Chinese side, who conveyed that the non-provision of data was due to technical reasons.

“The MoU on Brahmaputra expired on June 5, 2023 and the MoU on Sutlej expired on November 5, 2020. The hydrological data of Brahmaputra river has been suspended with effect from June 2023 and the hydrological data of Sutlej river has not been received since 2022,” he said.

The need for cooperation on trans-border rivers, including resumption of provision of hydrological data by China has been highlighted by the Indian government in several bilateral interactions with China, including during the recent visit of Jaishankar to China in July 2025 for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and during the Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit to India on August 18.

The MEA was also asked whether any plan has been devised to build a counter-dam on the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh. The minister informed that the Upper Siang Multipurpose Project (11,200 MW) and Siang Lower HE Project (2,700 MW) have been proposed in the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh.

By

A Correspondent