New Delhi, Oct 24 (IANS) India Monday sought to dispel the impression about a conflict of interest between New Delhi and Beijing over the Brahmaputra river and said the two countries were instead planning to expand cooperation in the area of disaster mitigation.

"We have understandings with the Chinese side under which they provide hydrological information in respect of Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers during the flood season for flood control and disaster mitigation in downstream areas," said the external affairs ministry spokesperson.

He was responding to a question on a report published in a leading Indian daily that claimed that a controversial Chinese plan that involves damming the Brahmaputra river and diverting 200 billion cubic metres of water annually to feed the ageing Yellow river is giving "sleepless nights to the Indian government."

Seeking to dispel anxieties created by the report, the ministry said that instead the two sides plan to expand this bilateral cooperation in the crucial area of disaster mitigation.

"We are also discussing with the Chinese side the expansion of this cooperation," said the spokesman, indicating the new level of trust between the two Asian giants ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to India next month.

The news report claimed that the river project, if it goes through, "could strangle one of India's and Bangladesh's biggest sources of water."