China Defends Brahmaputra Dam Amid India's Environmental Concerns

Beijing, July 23 (PTI): China has defended its decision to begin construction on a dam over the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, assuaging concerns about its impact on lower riparian countries like India and Bangladesh. India is closely monitoring the development, given its potential environmental repercussions. Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced the project's commencement in Nyingchi City, near the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh, which will become the world's largest hydropower dam. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun assured that the dam would not negatively affect downstream regions.

Tensions have been rising in India, with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu describing it as a "water bomb" and a threat surpassing even military concerns. In a recent interview, Khandu expressed distrust in China, also pointing out that China is not party to international water treaties that could enforce compliance. The dam aims to generate over 300 billion kWh of electricity annually, serving more than 300 million people, but India worries about potential flooding from water releases initiated by China.

Guo mentioned China’s cooperation with downstream countries by sharing hydrological data and disaster prevention strategies. The Chinese Foreign Ministry emphasized the project as part of China's sovereign rights, focusing on clean energy, local benefits, and climate change mitigation, while adhering to high environmental standards. Although China claims the project would not negatively impact downstream regions, the history of seismic activity in Tibet raises concerns about potential disasters.

Meanwhile, the China-India Expert Level Mechanism (ELM), established in 2006 for trans-border river discussions, faced interruptions over recent border tensions. Despite earlier data sharing problems, talks continued between Indian and Chinese officials last December. In Bangladesh, Chinese envoy Yao Wen reassured officials that the dam is solely for power generation and would not impact water flow to downstream nations.