China’s Yarlung Tsangpo hydropower plan: A test for India’s reaction?

China has approved a hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, which flows into India as the Brahmaputra. While many assumed it would be the world’s largest dam, reports suggest China is planning multiple smaller hydropower projects instead.

Speculations are that the announcement was a strategic move to gauge India’s reaction. The project, part of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), faces political, environmental, and technical challenges. The region is prone to strong earthquakes, raising concerns about the safety of such projects. Transporting the generated power is another issue, though China’s advances in high-voltage transmission could provide a solution.

Past Chinese leaders have halted similar projects over environmental concerns, but Beijing’s hydropower ambitions continue. The impact on India’s water security and the risk of future conflicts remain key questions.