China has approved the construction of a massive hydropower project on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, a development expected to significantly impact the region. This project, which will be the largest dam in the world, is set to cost an estimated USD 137 billion, making it the biggest infrastructure project globally. The dam will be located on the Yarlung Zangbo River, the Tibetan name for the Brahmaputra, where the river takes a sharp turn towards Arunachal Pradesh in India and flows into Bangladesh.
Should This Concern India?
The construction of the dam is anticipated to raise concerns in neighboring countries, particularly India and Bangladesh. The strategic importance of the project lies in its potential to give China control over the water flow, which could have severe consequences during periods of tension or conflict. The size of the dam would also allow China to release large volumes of water, potentially flooding areas along the border. In response, India has also undertaken dam projects on the Brahmaputra River in Arunachal Pradesh.
Expert Level Mechanism (ELM)
To address water-sharing issues, India and China established the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) in 2006, which facilitates the exchange of hydrological data related to the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers, particularly during flood seasons.
The project is part of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, which covers the period from 2021 to 2025. This ambitious plan also includes long-term development objectives through 2035. The Brahmaputra dam is expected to surpass the scale of China’s previous major infrastructure projects, including the Three Gorges Dam, which was previously the largest in the world.
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