Talk to China on Brahmaputra row

India and China must begin dialogue immediately to finalise an agreement on river water sharing. A conflict is looming over the waters of the River Brahmaputra, known as the Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet where it originates. China is building dams on the upper and middle reaches of this river, which could impact the flow of water into India’s North East and Bangladesh. Last week, China announced that the Zangmu Hydropower Station on the Yarlung Zangbo River is fully operational now. Tibet’s largest hydro-power station which is slated to produce 2.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity a year, the Zangmu project is the first of a string of dams that China plans to build on the Yarlung Zangbo. There are reports too of Chinese plans to divert the waters of this river to the arid and heavily populated north east of the country. While the possibility of the latter plan being implemented is rather remote given the enormous technological and financial challenges it involves, hydropower projects on the Yarlung Zangbo are a reality and pose a clear and present danger to Sino-Indian relations. India and Bangladesh, the two lower riparian countries, are understandably worried over the Zangmu project’s impact on the lives and livelihoods of people living downstream. Security analysts warn that China could step up pressure on India during times of tension and conflict by withholding water. Its impact on the North East would be serious.

Indian and Bangladeshi apprehension over the Chinese dams can be alleviated if China becomes more transparent about its plans for the Yarlung Zangbo. A couple of years ago, China agreed to allow Indian hydrological experts to conduct study tours to monitor the river's flow in Tibet. It also promised hydrological data during the flood season. This was a welcome gesture. Beijing needs to take this further by clarifying its dam and diversion plans to Delhi and Dhaka.India is right in asking China to be more consultative and transparent in its plans for the Yarlung Zangbo. However, this hasn’t been an approach that India adopts vis-à-vis Dhaka on dam building across transboundary rivers running into Bangladesh. India plans to build hundreds of small hydel projects on the Brahmaputra in the North East, which are triggering anxiety in Bangladesh. India can set an example by consulting Bangladesh
and keeping Dhaka in the loop on its plans for dams. Having won Bangladesh’s confidence, India could initiate tripartite talks involving China as well on the sharing
of the waters of the Brahmaputra. A treaty on sharing the Brahmaputra’s waters is urgently needed.