But, last week, GoI rejected a parliamentary panel’s recommendation for a data-sharing agreement on Himalayan glaciers with countries of the region, including not-best-of-pals China. This is a shortsighted step. One reason cited to reject the panel’s report is national security. Any mechanism that would give Beijing informational access to the upper reaches of the Himalayas, a natural border, is a non-starter. This is why a joint mechanism on glaciers proposed by the previous Indian government was also abandoned.
Yet, given the precarity of the climate challenge, GoI must find a solution that best balances national security and environmental-economic demands. India must step up its research on glaciers and augment its understanding of the issue. As major countries of the region, both India and China must engage in this. New Delhi can take a leaf from Washington’s book on balancing immediate and long-term security needs. Even though the security concerns are qualitatively different, India can relate to the difficulties of the US-China relationship. Washington and Beijing identify climate change as a sphere that requires both to work together. Despite the problematic bilateral relationship, even India aligns with China in international climate negotiations. A similar path and holistic view could benefit India and the region in this climate-hit era.