Hindu Kush Himalaya Initiative: China-India tie crucial for success

Staff Reporter :

Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Debapriya Bhattacharya on Monday emphasised that meaningful collaboration between India and China is essential for the success of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) initiative.

Speaking during a high-level panel discussion titled ‘Impacts of Climate Change, Disaster Risks and the Role of Parliamentarians’ at the HKH Parliamentarians’ Meet-2025 in Nepal, Bhattacharya noted that Nepal occupies a strategic position between the two powers and could facilitate constructive dialogue.

“This is a regional issue that cannot succeed without cross-border cooperation,” he said, pointing out that the eight countries
involved – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – are at varying stages of democratic and developmental transition. “The elephant in the room is India and China, yet little direct engagement is happening between them.”

Bhattacharya urged policymakers to prioritise a regional and collective approach, arguing that individual national strategies alone will not succeed. “I hope that future public representatives will engage more forcefully with their counterparts in China and India,” he added.

The Bangladesh delegation, led by Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Adviser Supradip Chakma, also included BNP Standing Committee Member and former Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Senior Joint Member Secretary of the National Citizen Party Dr Tasnim Jara, and Joint Member Secretary Mir Arshadul Hoque.

Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel attended the meet as chief guest, with Speaker Devraj Ghimire present as a special guest. ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho and representatives from the participating countries also spoke at the inaugural session, which was followed by technical sessions focused on regional coordination and policy dialogue.

The HKH region sustains nearly one-fourth of humanity, providing water, food, and livelihoods to 240 million people in the mountains and 1.65 billion downstream. Experts warn that it faces urgent threats from climate change, biodiversity loss, disasters, and air pollution, compounded by rapid socio-economic changes.

The HKH Parliamentarians’ Meet 2025, hosted by the Federal Parliament of Nepal, provides legislators with a platform to deliberate on shared challenges, access knowledge, exchange best practices, and identify collective policy solutions for climate resilience and sustainable development.

Supported by the United Kingdom International Development (UKID) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the event aims to empower parliamentarians to advance gender-equal, socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable policies across the region.