China launches world’s largest hydropower project on Brahmaputra near Arunachal, sparking India’s concern

China has officially begun construction on a colossal hydropower project along the Brahmaputra River, just north of the Indian border in Tibet. The project, locatd in Nyingchi City near Arunachal Pradesh, is estimated to cost around USD 167.8 billion and is being termed the largest hydropower initiative ever undertaken globally.

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Premier Li Qiang marked the beginning of construction with a formal ceremony, setting in motion the development of five cascade power stations. When fully operational, the project is expected to produce over 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually-sufficient to meet the needs of more than 300 million people.

The dam is set to be constructed in the Himalayan region, at a sharp turn in the Brahmaputra River just before it crosses into Indian territory. This strategic and seismically active location has triggered concerns in India and Bangladesh, who are both situated downstream.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly called on China to avoid any actions that could harm the interests of lower riparian nations. China, in turn, has assured that the project would not adversely affect downstream flow and pledged to continue information-sharing mechanisms.

Adding to the alarm, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu recently described the dam as a greater long-term threat than military aggression, labelling it a “ticking water bomb” that could threaten local communities and ecosystems.

In parallel, India is pursuing its own hydropower developments on the Brahmaputra within Arunachal as part of a broader effect to strengthen regional infrastructure. Since 2006, both countries have maintained a dialogue on shared rivers through the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM), focusing on food data and river management.

The Brahmaputra, originating from the Tibetan plateau, flows through one of the world’s deepest gorges and most rainfall-heavy zones-making dam construction both technically complex and geopolitically sensitive.