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India willing to relook China’s BRI if concerns are addressed

India on Thursday said it was ready to have a relook at China’s Belt, Road Initiative (BRI) if its sensitivities, particularly on…

India willing to relook China’s BRI if concerns are addressed

Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj (Photo: AFP/File)

India on Thursday said it was ready to have a relook at China’s Belt, Road Initiative (BRI) if its sensitivities, particularly on sovereignty issues, were taken into account.

‘’If there is a view which takes into account our sensitivities in the matter, we are willing to look at it,’’ External Affairs Minister spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing when asked to comment on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks earlier this week that India should consider joining the BRI.

New Delhi has opposed Beijing’s BRI since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of the initiative, runs through the Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan.

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The spokesperson confirmed that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj discussed with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during their bilateral meeting here on Monday the matter concerning the water of the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, turning muddy.

He said it was a matter of concern and his ministry was also coordinating with the Ministry of Water Resources on this. “I can also share with you that the matter did come up during EAM’s meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister,” Kumar added.

“As you are aware, there are existing mechanisms between the two countries to deal with such matters on river arrangement,” he said.

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