India Presses China for Trans-Border River Data Amid Concerns Over Mega-Dam Projects
India and China held the 36th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) in New Delhi on Thursday, engaging in “frank discussions” regarding border management and trans-border cooperation. During the talks, New Delhi strongly reiterated the need for the early convening of the Expert-Level Mechanism on trans-border rivers, emphasizing that China must share technical details regarding its upstream projects.
These demands come amid growing Indian concerns over a massive $137-billion hydropower project China is constructing on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) river in Tibet. As a lower riparian state, India has repeatedly urged Beijing to ensure transparency, fearing that the dam—expected to be the world’s largest—could cause significant environmental impacts and disrupt water flows for millions downstream in India and Bangladesh. India has not received consistent hydrological data from Beijing since a bilateral data-sharing agreement expired in June 2023.
Beyond water security, both sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and reaffirmed their commitment to utilizing existing diplomatic and military channels to resolve outstanding issues. The discussions, led by Sujit Ghosh, Joint Secretary (East Asia) for India, and Hou Yanqi, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department for China, followed recent high-level diplomatic engagements aimed at normalizing bilateral relations. Both nations emphasized that maintaining peace and tranquility in border areas remains essential for the broader development of their bilateral ties.
