China begins construction of $168 billion mega-dam on Brahmaputra, raising alarm in India

China has begun construction of a massive $167.8 billion hydropower project on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, which is known as Brahmaputra in India.

The project includes five cascade stations and is expected to surpass the Three Gorges Dam in energy output, with an estimated annual generation of over 300 billion kWh.

Premier Li Qiang attended the groundbreaking ceremony in Nyingchi City. The dam, located just 30 km from the Arunachal Pradesh border, is part of Beijing’s larger strategy for energy security and regional development.

However, the move has triggered sharp concerns in India and Bangladesh, both of which lie downstream. Experts warn the dam could alter water flow significantly, posing risks of floods, droughts, and ecological imbalance.

Some have even likened it to a “ticking water bomb,” especially if mismanagement or natural disasters affect its structure.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it is closely monitoring the development and is engaging diplomatically with China to ensure that downstream interests are protected.

The government has also ramped up its own dam-building efforts in Arunachal Pradesh to create a hydrological buffer.

Chinese officials maintain that the project will be environmentally safe and essential to their carbon neutrality goals.

But environmentalists in India remain unconvinced, pointing to similar projects on the Mekong River that have negatively impacted lower riparian countries.

The strategic and environmental stakes of this dam are likely to remain a key flashpoint in India-China relations, especially as climate and water security rise on the global agenda.