New Delhi

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday (January 18) said that there is a possibility that China might be "weaponising" weather for strategic gain. Though he did not mention China explicitly, his mention of Indian states sharing border with China signalled that it was indeed the country he was talking about. He also said that climate change was not just a phenomenon related to weather but it was also linked with national security.

Advertisment

He said that his department has “taken it seriously.”

Singh was speaking at an event in Uttarakhand, a state that shares border with China. The event marked inauguration of 35 infrastructure projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

Watch | Ram Mandir: Ayodhya all decked up as countdown begins for consecration ceremony

Advertisment

×

During his speech, Singh exclaimed that it was a matter worth looking into why states bordering China are witnessing increased number of natural disasters.

“Certain border states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Union Territories like Ladakh have noticed an increase in the number of natural disasters in recent years. The Himalayas extend to other states as well, but such incidents are confined to certain states only, and we cannot ignore that. Many experts believe that these natural disasters are an outcome of climate change. Climate change in the country is not just a weather-related phenomenon; the matter is related to national security. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has taken it very seriously and will seek help from friendly countries to study and rule out any involvement of any enemy country on this issue,” said Singh.

Advertisment

Also Read | Republic Day 2024: Flight curbs, traffic diversions and prohibition of drones in Delhi | Details

Media reports have said that the National  Security Council Secretariat is already looking into weather weaponisation and its  “potential exploitation by inimical forces”.

Also Read | Ayodhya: Anti-terrorist squad arrests men allegedly awaiting terrorist Pannun's instruction

As per The Hindu, China has a “Beijing Weather Modification Office (BWMO),” that has 37,000 employees. Potential use of weather as weapon can include triggering flash floods via cloud seeding with an aim to depopulate a particular region across border.

China claims Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in India's northeast. The Brahmaputra river, also called 'the mighty Brahmaputra' due to its devastating floods each year, originates in China and flows through India's northeastern states. There has long been a speculation that China might make use of the river flow in order to gain strategic advantage.

(With inputs from agencies)