Bilateral mechanism proposed for Sino-India water issues
Water is emerging as a new possible irritant between China and India, which has proposed a bilateral mechanism to deal with it.
In a significant move, India is pressing China to have either a water commission or a inter-governmental dialogue or a treaty to deal with water issues between the two countries.
This comes in the wake of Chinese move to approve construction of three more dams on Brahmaputra river in Tibet, in addition to the one being built without informing New Delhi.
Following the Chinese move, a high-level inter- ministerial committee, comprising officials from external affairs ministry, defence ministry, department of space among others met here to take stock of the situation and decided to take it up with China.
The issue was once again taken up when a senior Chinese embassy official met MEA officials to give details on the construction proposal.
“Though, the issue (of having a bilateral mechanism) has been part of our discussions earlier also, the recent move by Beijing has further pushed the matter. There is a need for some mechanism to deal with water issues between the two countries on the lines of what India has with other countries like Pakistan,” sources told PTI.
While India has a Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan under which the two countries share information and cooperate on the matter, a Ganges Treaty with Bangladesh establishes a 30-year water-sharing arrangement and recognises the neighbouring country’s rights as a lower-level riparian.
Recently, the Chinese cabinet had approved a document which mentions construction of three dams at Dagu, Jiacha and Jiexu on Brahmaputra.
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