Brahmaputra at Risk: Gaurav Gogoi Warns of China’s Water Manipulation Tactics

On Tuesday, Jorhat MP and Deputy Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, voiced serious concerns in Parliament over China’s proposed construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet (Brahmaputra River in India).

Highlighting the project's potential risks to India's national security, water security, and regional stability, Gogoi urged the government to take immediate action.

He warned that China's control over the Brahmaputra's water resources could lead to severe consequences for India's northeastern states, including the possibility of manipulated water flow causing either devastating floods or droughts.

The MP emphasized that he had previously raised the matter with both the Defence and External Affairs ministries, stressing the need for India to secure an agreement with China on sharing critical hydrological data, particularly for flood forecasting and management.

Reaffirming the urgency of the issue, Gogoi called on the government to act swiftly to safeguard India's strategic and environmental interests.

Earlier on Monday, BJP state president and Member of Parliament Dilip Saikia expressed concern in the Lok Sabha regarding China's plan to construct a dam at the source of the Brahmaputra River.

Saikia urged the Indian government to initiate bilateral talks with China to prevent the dam's construction, emphasizing the need for diplomatic intervention to safeguard the interests of India’s northeastern states.

Prior to that, on February 3, during a crucial debate in the Rajya Sabha, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) MP Birendra Prasad Baishya raised alarm over China’s proposed 60,000-megawatt Three Gorges Dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra River in India), warning that the project poses a severe threat to Assam and the northeastern region.

Also Read: BJP MP Dilip Saikia Urges India to Block China’s Dam Construction on Brahmaputra