China started construction of a $ 167.8 billion mega dams on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (Brahmaputra in India) in Tibet on 19 July 2025. The project was inaugurated by the Chinese Premier Lee Kiang at the Mening Hydropower Station in Ningchi city. It is considered to be the world’s largest infrastructure project, which will also overtake China’s Three Gorges Dam. This dam will be a group of five hydroelectric stations, which will generate 300 billion kWh-hour power, which can meet the needs of 30 million people.
India and Bangladesh have expressed serious concern over the project. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu called it a “water bomb”, as the dam is being built at a big turn in the Himalayas, where the river enters Arunachal Pradesh and then Bangladesh. India fears that China may use this dam to control water flow or cause floods at the time of conflict. Khandu said, “If China suddenly releases water, the Siang belt and Assam plains may be destroyed.” This dam can create environmental and geopolitical threats, as this river is important for the livelihood of millions of people in the northeast and Bangladesh of India.
China claims that the project is for clean energy and development of Tibet, and it will not have any negative impact on the lower areas. However, India raised its concerns in front of Beijing in January 2025, demanding that the interests of the lower regions not be damaged. India is also building a 10,000 MW dam on the Siang River in Arunachal, which is to reduce the impact of China’s dam. The two countries shared water related information during the flood season under the expert-level mechanism (ELM) established in 2006, but China is not part of any international water-fed treaty.
The project is in the seismically active Himalayan region, where there is a risk of earthquake. In January 2025, there was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Tibet, killing 126 people. Environmentalists say that this Dam can prevent the natural silt of the river, which is necessary for agriculture of Assam and Bangladesh.
