India silent on existential threat from China

A great disturbing piece of news comes from across the borders of Arunachal Pradesh that China is building a 'super dam' close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo river. For reminder sake, it is the same river that is called Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam. We all have known since long that China is planning to divert the Himalayan waters for its consumption while weaponising the same against India.

The present 'super' dam is being constructed at the tri-junction of China's borders with Nepal and India in the Kalapani region of Uttarakhand State where India has a running feud with Nepal over territorial claims. The dam could be used to divert or restrict waters of the Majba Zanbo river to the detriment of India and Nepal by China. That is the base line. This dam's presence is revealed by satellite imagery which also shows substantial military infrastructure being developed along the LAC by China. And India sleeps oblivious to the threats and dangers posed by the same.

What is more shocking is the silence of the Indian government over the Chinese strategies along the border. Even when there is a transgression we remain content with the fact that the 'Chinese PLA is pushed back' and not an 'inch is taken by them'. Why does the Indian government ignore the tactics and the strategy of the Chinese? Why does it not understand that the Chinese are only testing our preparedness and deliberately moving back and forth to assess the levels of our operational preparedness? The heroic talk of 'we are ready for a two and half a front war" sounds alright but does it really reflect reality. China is not only waging a psychological war but a strategic long-term geo-political war, too. It has been repeatedly pointed out that China is trying to usurp all the waters of the Himalayas not only to its advantage but also to the detriment of its neighbours.

The latest disclosure by intelligence sources tells us there is earth development and dam construction activity on Mabja Zangbo river in Burang county in Tibet since 2021. The river path is clearly obstructed and then there is a formation of a reservoir going by the satellite imagery. This particular river finally ends up as a tributary of our River Ganga. Before entering our country it goes by the name of Karnali or Ghaghara in Nepal. This dam appears to be about 400 metres long, nearly half a kilometre, which is not an insignificant length given the fact that we are talking about the Himalayas here.

An airport is also coming up nearby, it is disclosed. Now China could use this not only to divert the water but also for flooding the downstream area as and when it pleases. This could cause immense hardships to the populations living in our country. We are not talking about floods and drought alone here. It is about our national security too. China is building innumerable dams all along our borders while objecting to even minor developmental works in Arunachal Pradesh. These dams are not only a strain on our bilateral relations but also on the fragile Himalayan mountains. Why don't we take up the issues with China? These could be well within their territory but these are rightfully our waters and the ecosystems that could be affected.