India urges China to share river data amid border talks and dam concerns

India and China engaged in frank talks about the line of actual control, emphasizing that stability in border zones underpins their bilateral relationship. New Delhi pressed for a prompt convening of the Expert Level Mechanism, created in 2006, to exchange technical information on upstream dam projects following China's recent mega-dam announcement. As a lower riparian nation, India asserted its established water-use rights and urged China to ensure downstream states are not adversely affected.

The Indian side also called for the resumption of hydrological data sharing and broader cooperation on trans-border rivers. At the 36th Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination meeting, both parties agreed to continue using established diplomatic, military and commander-level channels to resolve outstanding issues and avoid miscalculations. The dialogue built on outcomes from the previous year's Special Representative talks, which had set up an expert group to explore early border delimitation and improve border management.