China to proceed with Brahmaputra mega dam despite new concerns
Dubbed the ‘project of the century’ by Beijing, it has been included in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for renewable energy; of concern to India is the impact it could have downstream, particularly in the aftermath of the recent devastating flash flood along the Nepal-China border
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Context
China is proceeding with its plan to construct a massive hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) River in Tibet, near the Indian border. Despite recent glacial collapses and environmental concerns, the project, designated as a priority in China's 15th Five-Year Plan, is moving forward. The project's scale, significantly larger than the existing Zangmu dam, raises profound strategic and ecological concerns for downstream nations, particularly India.
UPSC Perspectives
International Relations & Geopolitics
The construction of the mega-dam on the Brahmaputra highlights the critical issue of transboundary water management in international relations. As an upper riparian state, China possesses a significant geographical advantage over lower riparian states like India and Bangladesh. India's primary concern revolves around the potential weaponization of water resources; manipulating river flows or withholding hydrological data during periods of diplomatic tension. The exists for dialogue, but data sharing has historically been inconsistent and subject to political relations. UPSC aspirants must analyze this dynamic within the broader context of Sino-Indian relations, understanding how resource control acts as a crucial lever of statecraft. The absence of a formal bilateral or multilateral water-sharing treaty, akin to the with Pakistan, exacerbates these tensions, making cooperative management entirely reliant on goodwill and ad-hoc agreements.
Environmental & Ecological
The proposed dam is situated in a highly sensitive and seismically active Himalayan region. A massive infrastructure project here poses severe ecological risks, including the potential for disastrous consequences if earthquakes or glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) compromise the dam's integrity. Furthermore, a mega-dam, even if described as run-of-the-river (where electricity is generated without large reservoirs), still requires significant water diversion and can drastically alter downstream flow patterns and sediment transport. The Brahmaputra's silt is crucial for the agricultural fertility of the floodplains in Assam and Bangladesh. Any disruption to this natural process threatens the ecological balance and food security of the region. The lack of transparency regarding the project's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the potential for a reservoir upstream of Nyingchi necessitate a rigorous evaluation of the long-term ecological consequences for the entire river basin.
Internal Security & Disaster Management
From an internal security perspective, the potential impacts of the dam translate directly into concerns for India's northeastern states, particularly Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Alterations in river flow could lead to severe ecological disruption, affecting agriculture, fisheries, and the livelihoods of millions. This economic instability could, in turn, foster social unrest. Furthermore, the risk of sudden, large-scale releases of water (whether intentional or due to infrastructure failure) heightens the threat of catastrophic flooding, demanding robust disaster preparedness strategies under the framework of the . India's response must focus on enhancing its own hydrological monitoring capabilities, developing early warning systems, and strengthening water storage infrastructure in Arunachal Pradesh to mitigate potential risks and assert its rights as a lower riparian state under international customary law, specifically the principles (though neither India nor China are signatories, its principles of 'equitable and reasonable utilization' and 'no significant harm' are customary).