India-China Brahmaputra sharing | Political Science & International Relations: Mains Optional - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


 
 
 
Opportunities and issues between India and China and sharing of 
Brahmaputra water and possible impact in India 
 
 Water has the potential to be one of the great challenges of the twenty-first 
century. According to United Nations estimates, more than half the global 
population will live in water-stressed or water-scarce countries by 2025. The vast 
majority of these people will be in China and India.  
 
China - A water hegemon: 
 By controlling Tibet, China controls the Brahmaputra, along with the source of 
the other major Himalayan-origin river systems. 
 As long as Tibet remains a part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), China’s 
regional hydrological hegemony is assured.   
  Any understanding of Tibet’s importance to China must include an 
understanding of the related water issues. It also presents India a potential option 
for leverage.  
 
The Brahmaputra River: 
 The Brahmaputra begins from its source in the Kailas range of the Himalayas 
and flows 2,300 miles before emptying into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh.  
 Its course takes it through China, India, and Bangladesh, and its watershed also 
falls within parts of Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma.  
 Reflecting the diversity of people and geography along its course, the river goes 
by many names, including the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, the Brahmaputra in 
India, and the Jamuna in Bangladesh. 
 
Issues in Brahma Putra water sharing between India and China: 
 
China’s dam frenzy: 
 Brahma Chellaney, one of the foremost strategic thinkers of India, described the 
Chinese design of taking control over Brahmaputra water as “most dangerous”.  
 The growing water demand in Tibet and the option available in principle to 
China of building water storage and transfer projects on the Yarlung may 
lead to drying up of the Brahmaputra. 
Page 2


 
 
 
Opportunities and issues between India and China and sharing of 
Brahmaputra water and possible impact in India 
 
 Water has the potential to be one of the great challenges of the twenty-first 
century. According to United Nations estimates, more than half the global 
population will live in water-stressed or water-scarce countries by 2025. The vast 
majority of these people will be in China and India.  
 
China - A water hegemon: 
 By controlling Tibet, China controls the Brahmaputra, along with the source of 
the other major Himalayan-origin river systems. 
 As long as Tibet remains a part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), China’s 
regional hydrological hegemony is assured.   
  Any understanding of Tibet’s importance to China must include an 
understanding of the related water issues. It also presents India a potential option 
for leverage.  
 
The Brahmaputra River: 
 The Brahmaputra begins from its source in the Kailas range of the Himalayas 
and flows 2,300 miles before emptying into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh.  
 Its course takes it through China, India, and Bangladesh, and its watershed also 
falls within parts of Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma.  
 Reflecting the diversity of people and geography along its course, the river goes 
by many names, including the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, the Brahmaputra in 
India, and the Jamuna in Bangladesh. 
 
Issues in Brahma Putra water sharing between India and China: 
 
China’s dam frenzy: 
 Brahma Chellaney, one of the foremost strategic thinkers of India, described the 
Chinese design of taking control over Brahmaputra water as “most dangerous”.  
 The growing water demand in Tibet and the option available in principle to 
China of building water storage and transfer projects on the Yarlung may 
lead to drying up of the Brahmaputra. 
 
 
 
 China has come up with three large hydropower projects in very close 
proximity to each other, within the span of 24 kms- the Zangmo dam, which 
is already in commission; the Gyatsa dam, which has been constructed and is 
waiting to be commissioned; and finally, the Dagu dam, which has been in 
construction since 2017 and is the largest of the three.  
 There is speculation that Beijing's prime aim behind the projects is to control 
the flow of the river, besides exporting electricity from Tibet to mainland 
China. In the next decade, there are more dams being planned on the river- 
Bayu, Jiexi, Langta, Dakpa, Nang, Demo and Namcha. 
 Chinese plans to build a 1,000-km-long tunnel to divert water from the 
Brahmaputra River in Tibet to the parched Xinjiang region. 
 This hypothesis of perceived fear is termed as the “Brahma hypothesis”. 
 
 
Ecological issues: 
 
 According to Mark Christopher, China is the world’s most aggressive dam 
builder, and Chinese water projects have already been accused of causing 
environmental damage and forced displacement of people in neighboring 
downstream countries.  
 In countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia dams on the 
Chinese portion of the Mekong River are seen to disrupt river flows and 
cause environmental damage. Similar situation may arise in Indian down 
stream context of Brahmaputra also. 
 
Economic Security: 
 
 According to Brahma Chellaney, “China and India together account for 52.8 
percent of the world’s rice production, 30.1 percent of the wheat, 21 percent of 
the corn, and 28.5 percent of the total grain. 
 China’s ability to control the river’s flow through damming and large-scale 
infrastructure projects such as the South-North Water Diversion Project and 
West-East Power Transfer Project threaten to divert or choke off these rivers.  
 China could sabotage transboundary rivers by polluting them, rendering them 
unfit for use. The Siang river, which joins the Lohit and the Dibang 
Page 3


 
 
 
Opportunities and issues between India and China and sharing of 
Brahmaputra water and possible impact in India 
 
 Water has the potential to be one of the great challenges of the twenty-first 
century. According to United Nations estimates, more than half the global 
population will live in water-stressed or water-scarce countries by 2025. The vast 
majority of these people will be in China and India.  
 
China - A water hegemon: 
 By controlling Tibet, China controls the Brahmaputra, along with the source of 
the other major Himalayan-origin river systems. 
 As long as Tibet remains a part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), China’s 
regional hydrological hegemony is assured.   
  Any understanding of Tibet’s importance to China must include an 
understanding of the related water issues. It also presents India a potential option 
for leverage.  
 
The Brahmaputra River: 
 The Brahmaputra begins from its source in the Kailas range of the Himalayas 
and flows 2,300 miles before emptying into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh.  
 Its course takes it through China, India, and Bangladesh, and its watershed also 
falls within parts of Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma.  
 Reflecting the diversity of people and geography along its course, the river goes 
by many names, including the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, the Brahmaputra in 
India, and the Jamuna in Bangladesh. 
 
Issues in Brahma Putra water sharing between India and China: 
 
China’s dam frenzy: 
 Brahma Chellaney, one of the foremost strategic thinkers of India, described the 
Chinese design of taking control over Brahmaputra water as “most dangerous”.  
 The growing water demand in Tibet and the option available in principle to 
China of building water storage and transfer projects on the Yarlung may 
lead to drying up of the Brahmaputra. 
 
 
 
 China has come up with three large hydropower projects in very close 
proximity to each other, within the span of 24 kms- the Zangmo dam, which 
is already in commission; the Gyatsa dam, which has been constructed and is 
waiting to be commissioned; and finally, the Dagu dam, which has been in 
construction since 2017 and is the largest of the three.  
 There is speculation that Beijing's prime aim behind the projects is to control 
the flow of the river, besides exporting electricity from Tibet to mainland 
China. In the next decade, there are more dams being planned on the river- 
Bayu, Jiexi, Langta, Dakpa, Nang, Demo and Namcha. 
 Chinese plans to build a 1,000-km-long tunnel to divert water from the 
Brahmaputra River in Tibet to the parched Xinjiang region. 
 This hypothesis of perceived fear is termed as the “Brahma hypothesis”. 
 
 
Ecological issues: 
 
 According to Mark Christopher, China is the world’s most aggressive dam 
builder, and Chinese water projects have already been accused of causing 
environmental damage and forced displacement of people in neighboring 
downstream countries.  
 In countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia dams on the 
Chinese portion of the Mekong River are seen to disrupt river flows and 
cause environmental damage. Similar situation may arise in Indian down 
stream context of Brahmaputra also. 
 
Economic Security: 
 
 According to Brahma Chellaney, “China and India together account for 52.8 
percent of the world’s rice production, 30.1 percent of the wheat, 21 percent of 
the corn, and 28.5 percent of the total grain. 
 China’s ability to control the river’s flow through damming and large-scale 
infrastructure projects such as the South-North Water Diversion Project and 
West-East Power Transfer Project threaten to divert or choke off these rivers.  
 China could sabotage transboundary rivers by polluting them, rendering them 
unfit for use. The Siang river, which joins the Lohit and the Dibang 
 
 
 
downstream to form the Brahmaputra, turned muddy and “blackened” in 
2017 raising concerns about China’s upstream activities. 
 
Disaster Management: 
 
 According to Christopher Jaffrelot, inhabitants along the river have to deal with 
two floods annually, one caused by the melting of the Himalayan snow in 
summer and the other due to the monsoon flows.  
 The frequency of these floods has increased and are devastating due to 
climate change and its impact on high and low flows. These pose a concern 
for the population and food security in the lower riparian states of India and 
Bangladesh. 
 China has access to valuable data that can help manage floods and 
fluctuations downstream. India and China have established Expert Level 
Mechanism (ELM) in 2006 to discuss various issues related to trans-border 
rivers and have signed two pacts since 2008 on data sharing for the Sutlej 
and Brahmaputra in order to better manage the shared watercourses. 
 China decided to withhold hydrological data from India in 2017, 
undermining the efficacy of India’s flood early-warning systems, especially 
in North East India.  
 Worryingly, in 2004, a lake began to form on the Parechu river, a tributary of 
the Sutlej which originates in the Tibetan Himalayas, threatening to cause 
floods lower down in India’s Sutlej valley- China’s ‘liquid bomb’. These 
concerns were raised in June 2020, when a rise of 12 to 14 metres was 
observed in the river. 
 
Resource Nationalism: 
 
 Ameya Pratap Singh and Urvi Tembey write how China has claimed express 
ownership over Tibet’s waters, making it an upstream controller of seven of 
South Asia’s mightiest rivers – the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, 
Salween, Yangtze and Mekong. 
 According to Brahma Chellany, Asia has less fresh water per capita than any 
other continent, and it is already facing a water crisis that, according to an 
MIT study, will continue to intensify, with severe water shortages expected by 
2050.  
 At a time of widespread geopolitical discord, competition over freshwater 
resources could emerge as a serious threat to long-term peace and stability in 
Asia. 
 
River basin management: 
 
 According to Christophy Jeffrelot, there are now multiple operational dams in 
the Yarlung Tsangpo basin with more dams commissioned and under 
construction. These constructions present a unique challenge for Indian planners.  
 They will eventually lead to degradation of the entire basin: Massive 
amounts of silt carried by the river would get blocked by dams leading to a 
fall in the quality of soil and eventual reduction in agricultural productivity.  
Page 4


 
 
 
Opportunities and issues between India and China and sharing of 
Brahmaputra water and possible impact in India 
 
 Water has the potential to be one of the great challenges of the twenty-first 
century. According to United Nations estimates, more than half the global 
population will live in water-stressed or water-scarce countries by 2025. The vast 
majority of these people will be in China and India.  
 
China - A water hegemon: 
 By controlling Tibet, China controls the Brahmaputra, along with the source of 
the other major Himalayan-origin river systems. 
 As long as Tibet remains a part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), China’s 
regional hydrological hegemony is assured.   
  Any understanding of Tibet’s importance to China must include an 
understanding of the related water issues. It also presents India a potential option 
for leverage.  
 
The Brahmaputra River: 
 The Brahmaputra begins from its source in the Kailas range of the Himalayas 
and flows 2,300 miles before emptying into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh.  
 Its course takes it through China, India, and Bangladesh, and its watershed also 
falls within parts of Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma.  
 Reflecting the diversity of people and geography along its course, the river goes 
by many names, including the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, the Brahmaputra in 
India, and the Jamuna in Bangladesh. 
 
Issues in Brahma Putra water sharing between India and China: 
 
China’s dam frenzy: 
 Brahma Chellaney, one of the foremost strategic thinkers of India, described the 
Chinese design of taking control over Brahmaputra water as “most dangerous”.  
 The growing water demand in Tibet and the option available in principle to 
China of building water storage and transfer projects on the Yarlung may 
lead to drying up of the Brahmaputra. 
 
 
 
 China has come up with three large hydropower projects in very close 
proximity to each other, within the span of 24 kms- the Zangmo dam, which 
is already in commission; the Gyatsa dam, which has been constructed and is 
waiting to be commissioned; and finally, the Dagu dam, which has been in 
construction since 2017 and is the largest of the three.  
 There is speculation that Beijing's prime aim behind the projects is to control 
the flow of the river, besides exporting electricity from Tibet to mainland 
China. In the next decade, there are more dams being planned on the river- 
Bayu, Jiexi, Langta, Dakpa, Nang, Demo and Namcha. 
 Chinese plans to build a 1,000-km-long tunnel to divert water from the 
Brahmaputra River in Tibet to the parched Xinjiang region. 
 This hypothesis of perceived fear is termed as the “Brahma hypothesis”. 
 
 
Ecological issues: 
 
 According to Mark Christopher, China is the world’s most aggressive dam 
builder, and Chinese water projects have already been accused of causing 
environmental damage and forced displacement of people in neighboring 
downstream countries.  
 In countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia dams on the 
Chinese portion of the Mekong River are seen to disrupt river flows and 
cause environmental damage. Similar situation may arise in Indian down 
stream context of Brahmaputra also. 
 
Economic Security: 
 
 According to Brahma Chellaney, “China and India together account for 52.8 
percent of the world’s rice production, 30.1 percent of the wheat, 21 percent of 
the corn, and 28.5 percent of the total grain. 
 China’s ability to control the river’s flow through damming and large-scale 
infrastructure projects such as the South-North Water Diversion Project and 
West-East Power Transfer Project threaten to divert or choke off these rivers.  
 China could sabotage transboundary rivers by polluting them, rendering them 
unfit for use. The Siang river, which joins the Lohit and the Dibang 
 
 
 
downstream to form the Brahmaputra, turned muddy and “blackened” in 
2017 raising concerns about China’s upstream activities. 
 
Disaster Management: 
 
 According to Christopher Jaffrelot, inhabitants along the river have to deal with 
two floods annually, one caused by the melting of the Himalayan snow in 
summer and the other due to the monsoon flows.  
 The frequency of these floods has increased and are devastating due to 
climate change and its impact on high and low flows. These pose a concern 
for the population and food security in the lower riparian states of India and 
Bangladesh. 
 China has access to valuable data that can help manage floods and 
fluctuations downstream. India and China have established Expert Level 
Mechanism (ELM) in 2006 to discuss various issues related to trans-border 
rivers and have signed two pacts since 2008 on data sharing for the Sutlej 
and Brahmaputra in order to better manage the shared watercourses. 
 China decided to withhold hydrological data from India in 2017, 
undermining the efficacy of India’s flood early-warning systems, especially 
in North East India.  
 Worryingly, in 2004, a lake began to form on the Parechu river, a tributary of 
the Sutlej which originates in the Tibetan Himalayas, threatening to cause 
floods lower down in India’s Sutlej valley- China’s ‘liquid bomb’. These 
concerns were raised in June 2020, when a rise of 12 to 14 metres was 
observed in the river. 
 
Resource Nationalism: 
 
 Ameya Pratap Singh and Urvi Tembey write how China has claimed express 
ownership over Tibet’s waters, making it an upstream controller of seven of 
South Asia’s mightiest rivers – the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, 
Salween, Yangtze and Mekong. 
 According to Brahma Chellany, Asia has less fresh water per capita than any 
other continent, and it is already facing a water crisis that, according to an 
MIT study, will continue to intensify, with severe water shortages expected by 
2050.  
 At a time of widespread geopolitical discord, competition over freshwater 
resources could emerge as a serious threat to long-term peace and stability in 
Asia. 
 
River basin management: 
 
 According to Christophy Jeffrelot, there are now multiple operational dams in 
the Yarlung Tsangpo basin with more dams commissioned and under 
construction. These constructions present a unique challenge for Indian planners.  
 They will eventually lead to degradation of the entire basin: Massive 
amounts of silt carried by the river would get blocked by dams leading to a 
fall in the quality of soil and eventual reduction in agricultural productivity.  
 
 
 
 The Brahmaputra basin is one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive 
zones. It is identified as one of the world’s 34 biological hotspots. 
 Seismologists consider the Himalayas as most vulnerable to earthquakes and 
seismic activity. Landslides resulting from earthquakes pose a significant 
threat — the 2015 Nepal earthquake. 
 
Climate refugees and food security: 
 
 According to Brahma Chellaney, the Brahmaputra is the single largest 
freshwater source. Intensifying pressure on its water supply will likely trigger an 
exodus of refugees to India, already home to millions of illegally settled 
Bangladeshis. 
 
Planning for Dejure control: 
 Accroding to Mark Christopher, overall, customary international water law sets 
forth an allowable water usage framework, taking into effect multiple factors 
including historic use, volume of water contributed by each country’s territorial 
rivers, population size, and future needs.  
 Of particular significance here is the legal preference given to the first state 
to “use” water by building dams, diversion projects, irrigation, or other 
engineered works.  
 De jure control over a river is enhanced by investments in dams or other 
construction. Through its expanding dam building campaign on the 
Brahmaputra, China seems increasingly likely to obtain strong de jure 
standing to accompany its de facto control. 
 
Opportunities and way forward: 
 
 According to Brahma Chellaney, China must accept institutionalized cooperation 
on transnational riparian flows, including measures to protect ecologically fragile 
zones and agreement not to dam relatively free-flowing rivers. 
 This would require China to rein in its dam frenzy, be transparent about its 
projects, accept multilateral dispute-settlement mechanisms, and negotiate 
water-sharing treaties with neighbors. 
 
 On the other hand, scholars like Nilanjan ghosh, Sayanangshu Modak are 
critical of the “Brahma hypothesis” or the myth spread in the media as it does not 
stand the test posed by scientific data and knowledge. that the precipitation levels 
in the north aspect of the Himalayan Arc in the Chinese (Tibetan Plateau) area are 
marginal, resulting in relatively low flows in the upper  reaches of Brahmaputra. 
 
 According to Christopher Jaffrelot, for both India and China, the Brahmaputra 
presents a geopolitical opportunity as damming this perennial river would result 
in water security in an era of unprecedented shifting climate patterns.  
 There are alternate solutions to solving the water crisis. Both sides must 
cease new constructions on the river and commit to potentially less 
destructive solutions.  
 Building a decentralised network of check dams, rain-capturing lakes and 
using traditional means of water capture have shown effective results in 
Page 5


 
 
 
Opportunities and issues between India and China and sharing of 
Brahmaputra water and possible impact in India 
 
 Water has the potential to be one of the great challenges of the twenty-first 
century. According to United Nations estimates, more than half the global 
population will live in water-stressed or water-scarce countries by 2025. The vast 
majority of these people will be in China and India.  
 
China - A water hegemon: 
 By controlling Tibet, China controls the Brahmaputra, along with the source of 
the other major Himalayan-origin river systems. 
 As long as Tibet remains a part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), China’s 
regional hydrological hegemony is assured.   
  Any understanding of Tibet’s importance to China must include an 
understanding of the related water issues. It also presents India a potential option 
for leverage.  
 
The Brahmaputra River: 
 The Brahmaputra begins from its source in the Kailas range of the Himalayas 
and flows 2,300 miles before emptying into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh.  
 Its course takes it through China, India, and Bangladesh, and its watershed also 
falls within parts of Nepal, Bhutan, and Burma.  
 Reflecting the diversity of people and geography along its course, the river goes 
by many names, including the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, the Brahmaputra in 
India, and the Jamuna in Bangladesh. 
 
Issues in Brahma Putra water sharing between India and China: 
 
China’s dam frenzy: 
 Brahma Chellaney, one of the foremost strategic thinkers of India, described the 
Chinese design of taking control over Brahmaputra water as “most dangerous”.  
 The growing water demand in Tibet and the option available in principle to 
China of building water storage and transfer projects on the Yarlung may 
lead to drying up of the Brahmaputra. 
 
 
 
 China has come up with three large hydropower projects in very close 
proximity to each other, within the span of 24 kms- the Zangmo dam, which 
is already in commission; the Gyatsa dam, which has been constructed and is 
waiting to be commissioned; and finally, the Dagu dam, which has been in 
construction since 2017 and is the largest of the three.  
 There is speculation that Beijing's prime aim behind the projects is to control 
the flow of the river, besides exporting electricity from Tibet to mainland 
China. In the next decade, there are more dams being planned on the river- 
Bayu, Jiexi, Langta, Dakpa, Nang, Demo and Namcha. 
 Chinese plans to build a 1,000-km-long tunnel to divert water from the 
Brahmaputra River in Tibet to the parched Xinjiang region. 
 This hypothesis of perceived fear is termed as the “Brahma hypothesis”. 
 
 
Ecological issues: 
 
 According to Mark Christopher, China is the world’s most aggressive dam 
builder, and Chinese water projects have already been accused of causing 
environmental damage and forced displacement of people in neighboring 
downstream countries.  
 In countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia dams on the 
Chinese portion of the Mekong River are seen to disrupt river flows and 
cause environmental damage. Similar situation may arise in Indian down 
stream context of Brahmaputra also. 
 
Economic Security: 
 
 According to Brahma Chellaney, “China and India together account for 52.8 
percent of the world’s rice production, 30.1 percent of the wheat, 21 percent of 
the corn, and 28.5 percent of the total grain. 
 China’s ability to control the river’s flow through damming and large-scale 
infrastructure projects such as the South-North Water Diversion Project and 
West-East Power Transfer Project threaten to divert or choke off these rivers.  
 China could sabotage transboundary rivers by polluting them, rendering them 
unfit for use. The Siang river, which joins the Lohit and the Dibang 
 
 
 
downstream to form the Brahmaputra, turned muddy and “blackened” in 
2017 raising concerns about China’s upstream activities. 
 
Disaster Management: 
 
 According to Christopher Jaffrelot, inhabitants along the river have to deal with 
two floods annually, one caused by the melting of the Himalayan snow in 
summer and the other due to the monsoon flows.  
 The frequency of these floods has increased and are devastating due to 
climate change and its impact on high and low flows. These pose a concern 
for the population and food security in the lower riparian states of India and 
Bangladesh. 
 China has access to valuable data that can help manage floods and 
fluctuations downstream. India and China have established Expert Level 
Mechanism (ELM) in 2006 to discuss various issues related to trans-border 
rivers and have signed two pacts since 2008 on data sharing for the Sutlej 
and Brahmaputra in order to better manage the shared watercourses. 
 China decided to withhold hydrological data from India in 2017, 
undermining the efficacy of India’s flood early-warning systems, especially 
in North East India.  
 Worryingly, in 2004, a lake began to form on the Parechu river, a tributary of 
the Sutlej which originates in the Tibetan Himalayas, threatening to cause 
floods lower down in India’s Sutlej valley- China’s ‘liquid bomb’. These 
concerns were raised in June 2020, when a rise of 12 to 14 metres was 
observed in the river. 
 
Resource Nationalism: 
 
 Ameya Pratap Singh and Urvi Tembey write how China has claimed express 
ownership over Tibet’s waters, making it an upstream controller of seven of 
South Asia’s mightiest rivers – the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, 
Salween, Yangtze and Mekong. 
 According to Brahma Chellany, Asia has less fresh water per capita than any 
other continent, and it is already facing a water crisis that, according to an 
MIT study, will continue to intensify, with severe water shortages expected by 
2050.  
 At a time of widespread geopolitical discord, competition over freshwater 
resources could emerge as a serious threat to long-term peace and stability in 
Asia. 
 
River basin management: 
 
 According to Christophy Jeffrelot, there are now multiple operational dams in 
the Yarlung Tsangpo basin with more dams commissioned and under 
construction. These constructions present a unique challenge for Indian planners.  
 They will eventually lead to degradation of the entire basin: Massive 
amounts of silt carried by the river would get blocked by dams leading to a 
fall in the quality of soil and eventual reduction in agricultural productivity.  
 
 
 
 The Brahmaputra basin is one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive 
zones. It is identified as one of the world’s 34 biological hotspots. 
 Seismologists consider the Himalayas as most vulnerable to earthquakes and 
seismic activity. Landslides resulting from earthquakes pose a significant 
threat — the 2015 Nepal earthquake. 
 
Climate refugees and food security: 
 
 According to Brahma Chellaney, the Brahmaputra is the single largest 
freshwater source. Intensifying pressure on its water supply will likely trigger an 
exodus of refugees to India, already home to millions of illegally settled 
Bangladeshis. 
 
Planning for Dejure control: 
 Accroding to Mark Christopher, overall, customary international water law sets 
forth an allowable water usage framework, taking into effect multiple factors 
including historic use, volume of water contributed by each country’s territorial 
rivers, population size, and future needs.  
 Of particular significance here is the legal preference given to the first state 
to “use” water by building dams, diversion projects, irrigation, or other 
engineered works.  
 De jure control over a river is enhanced by investments in dams or other 
construction. Through its expanding dam building campaign on the 
Brahmaputra, China seems increasingly likely to obtain strong de jure 
standing to accompany its de facto control. 
 
Opportunities and way forward: 
 
 According to Brahma Chellaney, China must accept institutionalized cooperation 
on transnational riparian flows, including measures to protect ecologically fragile 
zones and agreement not to dam relatively free-flowing rivers. 
 This would require China to rein in its dam frenzy, be transparent about its 
projects, accept multilateral dispute-settlement mechanisms, and negotiate 
water-sharing treaties with neighbors. 
 
 On the other hand, scholars like Nilanjan ghosh, Sayanangshu Modak are 
critical of the “Brahma hypothesis” or the myth spread in the media as it does not 
stand the test posed by scientific data and knowledge. that the precipitation levels 
in the north aspect of the Himalayan Arc in the Chinese (Tibetan Plateau) area are 
marginal, resulting in relatively low flows in the upper  reaches of Brahmaputra. 
 
 According to Christopher Jaffrelot, for both India and China, the Brahmaputra 
presents a geopolitical opportunity as damming this perennial river would result 
in water security in an era of unprecedented shifting climate patterns.  
 There are alternate solutions to solving the water crisis. Both sides must 
cease new constructions on the river and commit to potentially less 
destructive solutions.  
 Building a decentralised network of check dams, rain-capturing lakes and 
using traditional means of water capture have shown effective results in 
 
 
 
restoring the ecological balance while supporting the populations of the 
regions in a sustainable manner. 
 
 Due to the lack of a mutually agreed dispute-settlement mechanism on water 
sharing for the transboundary rivers, Ameya Pratap Singh and Urvi Tembey 
suggest an India led counter-coalition of countries that share transboundary rivers, 
and forge a common institutional set-up for better transboundary management of 
shared rivers. They can also promote a “Southern Asian water information grid”, 
and aggregate best practices for water management.