India asks China to share details of upstream water projects at WMCC meet

India has urged China to share technical details regarding its upstream projects on trans-border rivers during recent talks focused on boundary delimitation and border management. The 36th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) took place in New Delhi, with both sides acknowledging the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for the overall development of bilateral relations.

The WMCC, which has played a key role in managing tensions, saw both delegations engage in frank discussions about the situation along the LAC. Following up on previous Special Representative talks, the meeting included detailed exchanges on boundary delimitation, border management, and mechanism-building. A significant point of emphasis for the Indian side was the reiteration of the need for an early meeting of the Expert Level Mechanism on trans-border rivers.

India's concerns center on a massive dam China is constructing on the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra River, known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet. This project, reportedly costing $137 billion, is expected to generate substantial energy. However, there are significant fears about its potential environmental consequences on downstream regions in India and Bangladesh, given the dam's location on the ecologically sensitive Tibetan plateau.

Both nations agreed to continue utilizing existing diplomatic and military channels, including the WMCC and local military commander meetings, to resolve outstanding issues and prevent misunderstandings along the LAC. The Indian delegation was led by Sujit Ghosh, joint secretary (East Asia) in the external affairs ministry, while Hou Yanqi, director general of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the foreign ministry, headed the Chinese team.