China Approved Plans to Construct Dam on Transboundary River Brahmaputra

 

On December 25, 2024 China approved construction of world’s largest dam on a transboundary river Yarlung-Tsangpo in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, called Brahmaputra river in India.  Yarlung-Tsangpo is the longest river of Tibet.

The approved dam will be three times larger than the Three Gorges dam. China claimed that the project has gone through rigorous scientific verification and will not have any negative impact on downstream countries like, India and Bangladesh.

India already reacted by saying that it will protect its own interest. India’s concern could also be measured from the discussion of the Indian officials with the visiting US National Security Advisor Mr. Jake Sullivan, where the issue found place. Mr. Sullivan came to India to review the trajectory of India-US global strategic partnership under the Biden administration.

The dam will be constructed at a huge gorge in the Himalayan reaches where the Brahmaputra makes a U-turn to flow through Arunachal Pradesh, where it called Siang and then to Assam, where it named as Brahmaputra and then to Bangladesh. (‘China says its world’s biggest dam over Brahmaputra will not impact waterflows to India’, The Hindu, January 6, 2025)

According to the BBC report the massive development work would require ‘at least four 20km long tunnels to be drilled through the Namcha Barwa mountain’ to divert the flow of Yarlung Tsangpo or Brahmaputra. The location of the development is also situated along an earthquake prone tectonic plate boundary. So, there is a probability that wide-ranging excavation and construction in the steep and narrow gorge could increase the frequency of landslides. ('China to build world’s largesthydropower dam in Tibet' by Gavin Butler, BBC News, 27 December 2024, ).

The official spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs of India said that India already conveyed its concerns to the Chinese side through diplomatic channels. The Chinese side need to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas. India also decided to monitor the situation and taking necessary measures to protect India’s interests. ('Transcript of Weekly Media Briefing by the Official Spokesperson', Ministry of External Affairs, January 03, 2025]. 

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