India Monitoring China’s 1986 Brahmaputra Dam Project

China has reportedly begun construction of a mega hydropower dam on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River (upper Brahmaputra) in Tibet, a project first revealed in 1986. The Government of India has expressed serious concern, warning that it could significantly affect South Asia’s ecology, water security, and geopolitical stability.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed in a statement that it is closely monitoring developments. The dam project has long been a sensitive issue due to potential impacts on India’s strategic interests and the livelihoods of indigenous communities in the Brahmaputra basin. The river, originating in Tibet’s Jiema Yangzong Glacier near Mount Kailash, flows into Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang, becomes the Brahmaputra in Assam, and merges with the Ganges in Bangladesh before reaching the Bay of Bengal. Any changes to the river’s flow upstream could disrupt ecosystems, agriculture, and livelihoods downstream across multiple countries.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that the government continually tracks all developments related to the Brahmaputra and takes necessary preventive and corrective measures to protect India’s interests. India has consistently communicated its concerns to Chinese authorities, stressing the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries before proceeding with large-scale hydropower projects.

The MEA reiterated that India is committed to safeguarding its regional interests, especially the lives and livelihoods of citizens in downstream areas. It also highlighted that the dam’s location in a seismically active and ecologically fragile Himalayan zone raises the risks of disrupted water flows, biodiversity loss, and increased flooding. Environmental experts have warned that such massive infrastructure projects in this region could cause irreversible environmental damage.

India and China have an established dialogue platform — the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) set up in 2006 — to discuss transboundary river issues, along with other diplomatic channels. India has urged China to share hydrological data, a practice Beijing has previously suspended during critical monsoon periods, affecting flood forecasting and disaster management downstream. The matter was raised again during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s July 14–16 visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

While China promotes the dam as part of its renewable energy strategy, India remains cautious, fearing that Beijing could gain strategic control over the region’s water resources. Such control could be used as a geopolitical tool, potentially influencing water availability in South Asia. The MEA’s latest response in the Rajya Sabha underscores that India has been aware of Chinese preparations for the dam since the 1980s and has been vigilant in monitoring its progress.

In summary, India views the new phase of the Yarlung Tsangpo dam project as a matter of environmental, economic, and strategic significance. It is pushing for transparency, meaningful consultations with all affected countries, and the resumption of hydrological data sharing. With construction reportedly underway, India is intensifying its diplomatic and technical monitoring to protect its downstream communities and ecological balance.