On August 19, 2025, External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar raised strong concerns with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi over Beijing’s decision to construct a mega dam on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo, known downstream as the Brahmaputra River.

The discussions took place during Wang Yi’s two-day official visit to India, where he co-chaired the 24th round of the Special Representatives’ Dialogue on the India-China boundary question alongside National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The visit also involved bilateral talks with Jaishankar and an interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the dialogue covered multiple areas including boundary management, regional developments, and global issues.

India strongly underlined the risks associated with China’s hydropower project on the Brahmaputra, stressing that the dam could have far-reaching implications for lower riparian states, particularly India’s north-eastern region.

Jaishankar emphasised the necessity of "utmost transparency" from Beijing on trans-border river projects and reiterated New Delhi’s position that any activity by upstream states must not adversely affect downstream nations. India has consistently conveyed this stance in various forums and has pressed for consultations prior to the execution of hydropower projects.

The mega dam project has been a longstanding point of apprehension for India. Earlier this year, during a parliamentary session, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh clarified that the Indian government was closely monitoring developments relating to the Brahmaputra.

He assured Parliament that preventive and corrective measures would be undertaken to safeguard the lives and livelihood of Indian citizens residing in downstream areas.

In December 2024, India formally demarched China after its official announcement of the dam, calling upon Beijing to adopt transparency and engage in dialogue with downstream states before proceeding with the project.

These demarches were followed up during Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to Beijing, where India pressed for hydrological data sharing and expansion of cooperation under the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) established in 2006 for trans-border rivers.

The MEA release also highlighted that terrorism in all its forms was raised as a critical issue during Jaishankar-Wang talks. India reiterated that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), slated to meet later this month in China, was founded in part to combat terrorism, and urged that this objective remain central. Wang Yi concurred with India’s stance, signaling agreement that counter-terrorism merits the highest priority.

China, for its part, raised the Taiwan issue in discussions, to which India reaffirmed that there was no change in its longstanding policy.

New Delhi clarified that, in line with global practices, its relationship with Taiwan remains confined to economic, cultural, and technological exchanges. India even pointed out that China itself engages Taiwan in similar domains, thus establishing parity in approach.

The dam issue, nevertheless, overshadowed other areas of cooperation. Strategically, India views the Chinese project with deep concern, fearing disruption of water flow, environmental imbalances, and adverse impacts on agriculture, fisheries, and livelihoods in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Brahmaputra is critical for India’s water security and hydroelectric projects, making any upstream intervention particularly consequential. New Delhi stressed its rights as a lower riparian state and highlighted India’s established usage patterns of the river for generations.

The reassurance that India will continue to pursue talks under institutionalised mechanisms signals New Delhi’s preference for dialogue, though the concerns remain significant.

In conclusion, Wang Yi’s visit to India reflected both cooperation and contestation in bilateral ties. While the dialogue on boundary de-escalation, terrorism, and regional challenges showed areas of mutual understanding, the mega dam on the Brahmaputra emerged as a major sticking point.

India’s insistence on transparency and its demand for China to accommodate the interests of downstream states underscores New Delhi’s determination to safeguard its strategic, environmental, and humanitarian concerns.

The coming months, especially the SCO summit and the proposed meeting of the Expert Level Mechanism, will be key in shaping how this sensitive water-sharing issue evolves between the two Asian giants.

Based On ANI Report