China’s water policies threaten India’s rivers: Arunachal CM calls for urgent action

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 24, 2025

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has raised alarm over China’s refusal to enter binding international water treaties and its selective sharing of hydrological data, warning that such practices pose severe risks to India’s water security, ecology, and livelihoods. Speaking at the ‘Environment and Security’ seminar in Itanagar, Khandu stressed the urgent need for cooperative governance of shared water resources in Asia.

Khandu expressed deep concern over China’s plan to construct the world’s largest hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which enters Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang River before merging into the Brahmaputra in Assam. He warned that the dam could allow China to manipulate water flow, causing devastating droughts in winter and catastrophic floods during monsoons.

He pointed out that the dam would allow China to control the timing and volume of water flowing downstream, which could have devastating effects during periods of low flow or drought. The mighty Siang or the Brahmaputra river would dry up during winters disrupting life in the Siang belt and the plains of Assam, he cautioned.

Conversely, according to Khandu, sudden releases of water from the dam could cause severe flooding downstream, particularly during monsoon seasons, displacing communities, destroying crops, and damaging infrastructure. Furthermore, the dam would alter the sediment flow, affecting agricultural lands that rely on the river’s natural replenishment of nutrients, he said.

“China’s construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam on the YarlungTsangpo River poses significant risks to the water security, ecology, and livelihoods of millions of people downstream in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Bangladesh. The potential disruption of water flow, flooding, and ecosystem degradation could have far-reaching consequences on us,” he said.

Highlighting that all major rivers of India originate from the Tibetan Plateau, Khandu thought that the Chinese government’s rampant exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources posed a serious threat to the very existence of these river systems, upon which millions of Indians depend for survival.

“Tibet is often referred to as the “Water Tower of Asia,” supplying water to over a billion people in the region. Its environmental health is critical not only to China and India but to much of Asia. Therefore, India, given its direct dependency on Tibet’s rivers and climate patterns, has a significant role to play in global environmental conservation efforts,” Khandu said.

Appreciating the Tibet Support Group of Arunachal Pradesh and the Core Group for Tibetan Cause for organizing the seminar in Arunachal Pradesh, Khandu hoped that the discussions that would unfold here will play a vital role in finding solutions to mitigate the alarming environmental situation in Tibet, which poses significant risks to the entire region.

Khandu went on to elaborate on the relationship of India with Tibet, especially in the context of Buddhism which dates back to the 8th century when the Nalanda school of Buddhism was at its peak.

“Buddhism, for, centuries have been the connecting bond between India and Tibet, transcending to our state. Nalanda became the epicentre for the study of Buddhist philosophy, logic, ethics, and meditation, and its influence spread far and wide, including to Tibet, where it played a key role in shaping Tibetan Buddhism,” he said.

Khandu emphasized that Tibet, known as the “Water Tower of Asia”, is the source of all major Indian rivers. He called for India to take a leading role in global conservation efforts, given its direct dependence on Tibetan rivers and climate patterns.

“The environmental health of Tibet is not just a concern for China and India but for the entire Asian region. India must proactively work towards international agreements ensuring fair water-sharing policies,” he asserted.

Beyond environmental concerns, Khandu highlighted India’s historical and spiritual ties with Tibet, particularly through Buddhism, which has been a cultural and philosophical bridge between the two regions since the 8th century. He stressed that these ties should be leveraged to build a stronger regional consensus on Tibet’s environmental protection.

The seminar focused on the environmental situation in Tibet and its relation to India’s security.

It was attended by SikyongPenpaTsering, Central Tibetan Administration, Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao, who is also the Co-Convenor of the All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet, National Convenor, Core Group for Tibetan Cause in India R K Khrimey, Tibetologist and  Former National Co-Convenor, Core Group for Tibetan Cause in India Vijya Kranti, National Co-Convenor, Core Group for Tibetan Cause in India Surendra Kumar, president, Tibet Support Group, Arunachal Pradesh, TarhTarak and Secy General, Tibet Support Group, Arunachal Pradesh NimaSangey amongst others.

Representatives of the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum and several CBOs also attended the seminar.

Representatives from the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum and several community-based organizations (CBOs) also participated in the event.

The seminar underscored the urgent need for India to push for international pressure on China to adhere to fair water-sharing agreements. It also called for greater cooperation among South Asian nations to ensure sustainable management of transboundary rivers, which are vital for regional stability, economy, and security.

As China moves ahead with its mega-dam construction, the coming years will be critical in determining the fate of millions who depend on these rivers for their livelihoods and survival.