Context:
Construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet by China has once again put India and the rest of the world on guard. This river, which flows as the Brahmaputra in India before finally emptying into Bangladesh, is a lifeline for millions. Different views are in play, with the Chinese considering the establishment of this dam as another step towards carbon neutrality by 2060, versus other countries’ considerations such as water security, regional stability, and environmental ones.
What are Hydroelectric Dams?
A hydroelectric dam is a structure that uses water to generate electricity. The turbines in the dam convert the kinetic energy of water into mechanical energy, which is then converted into electricity by generators.
About the Dam
The Yarlung Zangbo Dam is a planned hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet. It’s intended to be the world’s largest hydropower project, capable of producing three times as much electricity as the Three Gorges Dam.
Location
- In a huge gorge in the Himalayan reaches where the Brahmaputra makes a huge U-turn.
- Near the Indian border.
India’s Strategic Implications
- Water Security Threats
- The riparian, lower state, India, in fact, derives about a third of its freshwater from rivers falling from Tibet. Any impairment of the rivers’ flows can easily gather misgivings about agriculture, drinking water, or hydropower generation.
- Lack of Legal Obstacles
- India and China do not have ratified accession for any of the provisions under the 1997 UN Watercourses Convention in a way that establishes the existence of any binding international codes in respect to water sharing.
- Expired MoUs
- The data sharing agreements on Brahmaputra and the Sutlej expired between China and India. Such events though create an element of obscurity on future action plans as envisaged by Beijing.
Environmental and Seismic Costs
- Seismic Risk
- The landscape of one of the most earthquake prone zones in the world raises red flags for the dam. The Tibet earthquake, January 2025, which killed over 120 people, is a most vivid reminder of the risks that are involved in this venture.
- Ecosystem modification
- Giant dams change and obstruct the sediment transport, disturb aquatic life, increase riverbank erosion, and directly or indirectly affect agriculture and biodiversity in northeast India and Bangladesh.
Big Challenges on Regional Diplomacy
- Fragmented South Asia
- Although, for instance, countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, and Pakistan also depend on rivers originating from Tibet, they have no coherent regional positioning on these matters that would allow them to stand up to China.
- China’s Diplomacy
- The passive attitude of Bangladesh prior to construction illustrates all the contrast with India’s aggressive opposition, marking a change of course with regard to Dhaka’s foreign policy since the sheikh Hasina government fell from power in August 2024.
Way Forward
- Strengthening Diplomacy
- The revival of the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) should not be limited to convening meetings but also extend to the negotiation for new MoUs on water sharing, thus creating confidence.
- Regional Water Alliance
- A unified South Asian front would definitely be tough, but it would yield leverage for transparency from Beijing.
- Water Infrastructure Resilience
- India should build on conservation and storage options so that it can withstand disruption from any upstream activity.
