EAM Jaishankar Discusses Brahmaputra Dam, Cross-Border Terror with Chinese FM Wang Yi; No Commitments Yet

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised India’s concerns on China’s mega dam construction in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra river) during his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on August 20. He underscored that the activity will have implications for lower riparian states and called for “utmost transparency" on the matter, reported ANI.

Wang, who is in India at the invitation of national security adviser Ajit Doval, also held bilateral talks with Jaishankar and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Indian side also raised the issue of terrorism and its strong stand against cross-border terrorism, recalling that one of the original objectives of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), whose summit will be held later this month in China, was to counter terrorism. On this, Wang concurred that countering terrorism should be given the highest priority.

 “During the discussions, External Affairs Minister also underlined India’s concerns with regard to the mega dam construction being undertaken by China in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra river), which will have implications for lower riparian states. The need for utmost transparency in this regard was strongly underlined,” said the MEA.

Mega Dam Construction Discussed

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity on the border as the Chinese Foreign Minister shared his “positive assessment” of the bilateral meeting with Jaishankar and 24th Meeting of the Special Representatives (SR), which he co-chaired with the NSA, the PMO said in a statement.

In the SR meeting, Doval stated that there has been an “upward trend” in bilateral ties over the past nine months, marked by peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control.

“Borders have been quiet, there has been peace and tranquillity, and our bilateral engagements have become more substantial,” Doval said in his televised opening remarks, recalling his previous SR-level engagement in Beijing in December 2024. He also noted that the SR dialogue has assumed “very special importance” in light of Modi’s visit.

Longstanding River Dispute Talks

In a written response on August 7 to a query in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Vardhan Singh said that the project was first made public as far back as 1986 and since then, preparations have been underway in China.

He further stated that 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.

"As a lower riparian state with considerable established user rights to the waters of the trans-border rivers, Government 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. Following the recent announcement by China of the mega dam project, we have amplified our concerns and demarched them on December 30, 2024, including on the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries," he added.

The issue was also raised during the visit of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Beijing for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism between India and China on January 28.

(With inputs from PTI.)