EAM Jaishankar sought cooperation on trans-border rivers during Beijing visit amid China’s planned Brahmaputra hydel plant

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In a first official statement on China’s mega hydropower project on its side of the Brahmaputra river, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that the India is ‘carefully monitoring’ the development and the matter was raised by Foreign Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his visit to China last month.

The statement, issued by Minister of State (MEA) Kirti Vardhan Singh in the Rajya Sabha on August 7, said that China has not been sharing hydrological data with India. The data exchange between both nations’ rivers enables better flood forecasting, water allocation and infrastructure planning.

“The need for cooperation on trans-border rivers, including resumption of provision of hydrological data by the Chinese side has been highlighted by the government in several bilateral interactions with China, including during the recent visit of EAM to China from 14-16 July 2025 for the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,” read the written reply to a question raised by Congress MP from Rajasthan Mukul Balkrishna Wasnik and All India Trinamool Congress MP Ritabrata Banerjee.

China is building a 60,000 MW hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet (known as the Brahmaputra in India and Jamuna in Bangladesh), near Gelling, in Arunachal Pradesh. The project involves five cascade dams and is expected to be completed by the 2030s. Once ready, it will be three times more powerful than the Three Gorges Dam, also located in China and the world’s largest hydropower station.

“Government of India has taken note of reports about commencement of construction of mega dam project by China on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo (upper reaches of the Brahmaputra) river in Tibet. This project was first made public as far back as 1986 and since then, preparations have been underway in China. Government carefully monitors all developments relating to the Brahmaputra river, including plans by China to develop hydropower projects, and takes necessary measures to protect our interests, including preventive and corrective measures to safeguard life and livelihood of Indian citizens residing in downstream areas,” the MEA said.

It added 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, the government has consistently conveyed its views and concerns 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 states are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas,” the MEA said.

India is concerned about China's mega hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river due to potential disruptions to downstream water flow, ecological damage, and the possibility of weaponizing the dam for geopolitical leverage. The project, near the ‘Great Bend’ in Tibet, has raised concerns about water security, regional stability, and the impact on communities in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

Prime Minister Modi will be in Beijing on August 31 in his first visit after the violent clashes between Indian and Chinese soldiers broke out in 2020 in the Galwan region in Ladakh. Modi will be attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. On the sidelines of the summit, Modi is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.