Despite strong dissent from China, India scored a major diplomatic victory at the Asian Development Bank board meeting today as all other members voted in favour to grant approval for the $2.9-billion India plan.

China had blocked a consensus because it contained $60-million watershed development projects in Arunachal Pradesh.

It’s reliably learnt that China was the lone dissenter at today’s meeting and voted against the India plan that covers the period for the next three years until 2012, arguing that ADB cannot fund projects in “disputed areas” like Arunachal Pradesh.

India, of course, countered that the ADB was not the forum to discuss these issues and that the state is an integral part of India.

The success at the ADB, sources said, was a result of a massive diplomatic effort which saw India sending demarches to all key countries. The scales finally tilted when US, the country with the maximum voting share, came out in India’s favour.

It’s learnt that last week Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee held a meeting in North Block with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna where it was decided that demarches be sent to all 66 countries represented in the ADB.

Specific attention was given to the US, Japan and South Korea, which control large voting shares in the Bank. Assurances were won and detailed explanations were provided to those who had doubts.

The ADB clearance comes a day before the PM meets the Chinese President Hu Jintao at Moscow where both leaders are attending the SCO well as the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) summits.

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