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India has expressed concern over China’s plans to build the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Brahmaputra River. The project could significantly reduce water flows into India’s northeast, according to Reuters. The Indian and Chinese Ministries of Water Resources have not yet commented.
### Why It Matters
The tension over the Brahmaputra mega-dam raises stakes between two nuclear-armed neighbors. The river flows through disputed territory—Arunachal Pradesh—and has stoked fears in New Delhi that its longtime rival could use control of the river as leverage.
The dam expansion will enhance China’s green energy capacity, aligning with President Xi Jinping’s 2060 carbon-neutral target. However, it remains the world’s top greenhouse gas emitter. The project has sparked environmental and geopolitical concerns over its effects on a biodiverse river system that millions rely on downstream in India and Bangladesh.
### Key Points
– **Impact on Water Flows**: Officials claim the dam could cut dry season supplies by up to 85%, raising fears China might use water as a weapon.
– **International Diplomacy**: During a recent meeting, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar pressed China on the Brahmaputra dam.
– **Construction Details**: In July, China’s Premier Li Qiang announced construction had begun on what will be the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Brahmaputra River.
### Official Statements
– **China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson**: “China has always maintained a responsible attitude toward the development and utilization of transboundary rivers.”
– **India’s Ministry of External Affairs**: “During discussions, concerns with China’s mega-dam construction were underlined. The need for transparency was strongly emphasized.”
### Next Steps
India is accelerating the construction of its own Upper Siang Multipurpose Storage Dam to mitigate potential Chinese dam effects.
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**Photo**: Brahmaputra River flowing through the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in China’s western Tibet Autonomous Region, taken on March 28, 2021. (Credit: STR/AFP/Getty Images)
