Sharing of cross border river waters has figured in the

discussions between the two neighbours, but apparently China did not inform India of its plans to build the dams. In his interactions with media after the talks in Beijing, Menon had spoken about the two sides discussing water flows and China assurance that nothing what it is doing will affect the flows. The two again met on the sidelines of BRICS security officials meet last month in New Delhi. The new projects were reportedly approved by China at the State Council or Cabinet meeting on January 23. China has already been building a 510 MW dam at Zangmu and one of the three dams were reportedly bigger than this. China has been arguing that its dams are run-of-the river designs, therefore would not be affecting the flows of the water. India has been expressing its concerns on this issue during the bilateral meetings. It figured during then External Affairs Minister S M Krishna's visit in last March also. Besides India raising the construction of dams on the Brahmaputra in talks with the Chinese leadership, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia had expressed similar concerns over eight dams being built by Chinese on Mekong river.