China Approves World's Largest Dam On Brahmaputra Costing $137 Billion, India Expresses Concern

Beijing: China has greenlighted the construction of the world's largest dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, with an estimated cost of USD 137 billion, sparking concerns in neighboring India and Bangladesh.

The Chinese government has sanctioned the construction of a hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, the Tibetan name for the Brahmaputra, according to an official statement cited by Xinhua news agency on Wednesday.

The dam will be constructed at a vast gorge in the Himalayan region where the Brahmaputra River takes a sharp U-turn, flowing into Arunachal Pradesh before heading to Bangladesh.

Massive Investment and Scale of the Project

The dam's total investment could surpass one trillion yuan (USD 137 billion), making it the largest infrastructure project globally, even larger than China's Three Gorges Dam, the South China Morning Post reported Thursday.

China operationalized the USD 1.5 billion Zam Hydropower Station, the largest in Tibet, in 2015.

The Brahmaputra dam was part of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 adopted by Plenum, a key policy body of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2020.

Concerns in India and Bangladesh

Concerns in India have emerged, as the dam could give China control over the water flow, and its size might allow Beijing to release large amounts of water, potentially flooding border areas during conflicts.

India too is building a dam over Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh.

India and China established the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) in 2006 to discuss various issues related to trans-border rivers under which China provides India with hydrological information on the Brahmaputra river and Sutlej river during the flood seasons.

Data sharing of trans-border rivers figured in the talks between India, China Special Representatives (SRs) for border question, NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, held here on December 18.

The SRs “provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation and exchanges" including data sharing on trans-border rivers, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Engineering Challenges and Earthquake Risks

The Brahmaputra Dam presents enormous engineering challenges as the project site is located along a tectonic plate boundary where earthquakes occur.

The Tibetan plateau, regarded as the roof of the world, frequently experiences earthquakes as it is located over the tectonic plates.

China's Efforts to Address Ecological and Safety Concerns

The official statement on Wednesday sought to allay concerns about earthquakes, saying that the hydropower project is safe and prioritises ecological protection.

Through extensive geological explorations and technical advancements, a solid foundation has been laid for the science-based, secure, and high-quality development of the project, it said.

The Brahmaputra flows across the Tibetan Plateau, carving out the deepest canyon on Earth and covering a staggering vertical difference of 25,154 feet before reaching India, the Post report said.

The dam will be built in one of the rainiest parts of mainland China bringing bountiful flows of water.

Hydropower Station's Contribution to China's Energy Needs

According to a 2023 report, the hydropower station is expected to generate more than 300 billion kWh of electricity each year – enough to meet the annual needs of over 300 million people.

In 2020, Yan Zhiyong, then chairman of the state-owned Power Construction Corporation of China, was quoted in the media as saying the location on the Yarlung Tsangpo was one of the most hydropower-rich areas in the world.

“The lower reaches area features a vertical drop of 2,000 metres over a 50km distance, representing nearly 70 million kilowatts of resources that could be developed – that is more than three Three Gorges Dams with an installed capacity of 22.5 million kilowatts,” the Post quoted him as saying.

To harness the hydropower potential of the river, four to six 20km-long tunnels must be drilled through the Namcha Barwa mountain to divert half of the river’s flow at about 2,000 cubic metres per second, according to the report.

Strategic and Environmental Significance of the Project

Yan said that the hydropower exploitation of the Yarlung Zangbo River downstream is more than a hydropower project. It is also meaningful for the environment, national security, living standards, energy and international cooperation.

"It is a project for national security, including water resources and domestic security," he said, noting that the project will also smooth cooperation with South Asia.

The hydropower station could generate income of 20 billion yuan (USD three billion) annually for the Tibet Autonomous Region, he said.

An official statement on Wednesday defended the project, saying it will play a positive role in accelerating the country's efforts to create a new development pattern and pursue high-quality development.

It is also of great importance to advancing the country's strategy for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality and to coping with global climate change, it said.

The hydropower project is a green project aimed at promoting low-carbon development. By harnessing the abundant hydropower resources of the Yarlung Zangbo River, the project will also spur the development of solar and wind energy resources in surrounding areas, thus creating a clean energy base featuring a complementary mix of hydro, wind and solar power, it said.

It will directly stimulate the rapid growth of such industries as engineering, logistics and trade services, and create new jobs, it said.

Once completed, the project will further improve infrastructures of electricity, water conservancy and transportation. It will strengthen the synergy of development between Tibet and other regions, it said.

(with agency inputs)