BEIJING — China has begun construction on what it claims will be the world’s largest hydroelectric dam, deep in the contested Himalayan region of Tibet, raising fresh concerns among downstream nations about environmental degradation and water security. The project, set along the Yarlung Zangbo River, known as the Brahmaputra once it enters India, has been described by Chinese officials as a cornerstone of the nation’s renewable energy ambitions, though critics see it as a brazen act of unilateral resource control.
The dam, located near Medog County in Tibet’s Nyingchi prefecture, marks the first phase of a massive cascade system involving five hydroelectric stations. With a projected capacity of over 60 gigawatts, this behemoth will far surpass the Three Gorges Dam, previously the world’s largest. It is designed to harness the enormous elevation drop in the “Great Bend” of the river, a geologically fragile and ecologically vital area.
Beijing insists the project is intended to reduce China’s carbon emissions and bolster energy output to eastern provinces. Yet the timing, scale, and strategic location of the dam suggest a far more complex agenda. India, which lies directly downstream, has issued multiple diplomatic warnings, calling the project a threat to regional water stability. Security analysts in New Delhi have described the move as “weaponization of water,” especially in the absence of any bilateral river-sharing treaties between the two Asian giants.
Meanwhile, environmental watchdogs warn that the planned dam construction will devastate the biodiversity of the Tibetan plateau and displace communities who have long lived in harmony with the land. Experts fear landslides, seismic risks, and ecosystem collapse from the megaproject’s intervention in one of Asia’s most fragile geological zones.
What remains conspicuously unspoken by Beijing is the potential political utility of the dam. The Yarlung Zangbo is not only a water source but a geopolitical instrument. By controlling its flow at the roof of the world, China gains leverage not just over India, but also Bangladesh, which relies heavily on the Brahmaputra basin for agriculture and drinking water. Critics view this as a calculated pressure point, hidden behind the rhetoric of green development.
The project’s launch comes at a time when China’s economy faces mounting pressure and international scrutiny. Domestically, it offers a show of engineering prowess and centralized power. Regionally, it is a symbol of disregard for shared ecological governance.
According to a report published by Deutsche Welle, Chinese Premier Li Qiang personally attended the ceremony marking the dam’s initiation, touting it as a “monument to national rejuvenation” and a “breakthrough in sustainable energy.” The geopolitical tension sparked by the project, while Indian officials have warned of a “ticking water bomb” that could shift the balance of power in South Asia. The lack of transparency surrounding the dam’s design and timeline has only deepened mistrust among China’s neighbors.
