'Ticking water bomb': Arunachal CM expresses BIG concern as China builds world's largest...; here's how it will affect India

"Setting aside the military threat from China, it seems to me that this is a far bigger issue than anything else. It is going to cause an existential threat to our tribes and our livelihoods. It is quite serious because China could even use this as a sort of 'water bomb'"— these are the words of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu who raised the alarm over the world's largest dam project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, the Tibetan name for the River Brahmaputra, being developed by India's neighbour China. 

In a conversation with PTI, CM Khandu described it as a "matter of grave concern" as China is not a signatory to the international water treaty that could have forced it to abide by international norms. Let's get to know in detail about Beijing's project and why it is a grave concern for India. 

Three Gorges Dam 

The Yarlung Tsangpo dam project, announced following Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to the border region in 2021, comes as a part of China's decision to build the world’s largest hydropower dam on a river that flows into India and Bangladesh.

The project has sparked concerns in both countries over the potential impact on millions living downstream. China reportedly approved a a five-year, USD 137 billion project in 2024, expected to generate 60,000 MW of power—making it as the world's largest hydropower dam. 

According to media reports, environmentalists in India has voiced concerns about the project an ecologically sensitive, mountainous region, emphasising that harnessing the river could affect the water flow in the country's northeastern states. As India urged China to protect the interest of millions of people living downstream, Beijing said the decision to build the dam was made after rigorous scientific evaluation.