Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

China's massive Brahmaputra dam raises alarm in India and Bangladesh

Brahmaputra-dam-getty

The dam will be built on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, as the Brahmaputra is called in Tibet. (Representational image: Getty)

CHINA has approved the construction of what is expected to become the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet. The project, located near India’s border, has raised concerns in India and Bangladesh over its potential impact on downstream water flow and ecology.

The dam will be built on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, as the Brahmaputra is called in Tibet, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.


It is part of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and broader national development objectives through 2035.

The total cost of the project is estimated to exceed £110 billion, making it the largest single infrastructure project globally. It would overshadow the Three Gorges Dam, currently the world’s largest hydropower project, which cost £28 billion and displaced 1.4 million people.

China’s foreign ministry has defended the project, stating that it will not negatively affect downstream countries.

Spokesperson Mao Ning said the hydropower development aims to promote clean energy, address climate change, and mitigate hydrological disasters.

"China will maintain communication with lower riparian countries and step up cooperation on disaster prevention and relief," she said.

The Yarlung Zangbo, which becomes the Brahmaputra River in India, flows into Arunachal Pradesh and Assam before reaching Bangladesh.

Indian officials have raised concerns that the dam could enable China to control water flow, potentially causing floods during hostilities.

India and China established the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) in 2006 to discuss trans-border river issues.

China provides hydrological data on the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers to India during flood seasons, and river data-sharing was part of discussions between Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in December.

The project site lies in a seismically active region along tectonic plate boundaries. Chinese authorities have stated that extensive studies and safety measures have been implemented to address these challenges.

The dam is expected to generate 300 billion kWh of electricity annually, enough to meet the energy needs of 300 million people.

Chinese officials claim the project will boost Tibet’s economy and create jobs, while also advancing solar and wind energy development in the region.

India is also constructing a dam on the Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh. Both nations continue to monitor developments closely amid ongoing discussions on trans-border river cooperation.

(With inputs from agencies)

More For You

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

Prince Harry criticised tech companies for citing privacy laws to deny access

Getty

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have called for stronger protections for children online, warning that not enough is being done to shield young people from the dangers of social media

During a visit to New York, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled a new memorial dedicated to the memory of children whose families believe harmful online content contributed to their deaths. The installation, named the Lost Screen Memorial, features 50 smartphones, each displaying an image of a child lost to what their families describe as the adverse effects of social media. The memorial was made available to the public for 24 hours.

Keep ReadingShow less
Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

Afghan refugees arrive at a camp near the Torkham border last Sunday (20)

Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

MORE than 100,000 Afghans have left Pakistan in the past three weeks, the interior ministry said on Tuesday (22), after Islamabad announced the cancellation of residence permits.

Calling Afghans “terrorists and criminals”, the Pakistan government launched its mass eviction campaign on April 1. Analysts said the expulsions are designed to pressure Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, which Islamabad blames for fuelling a rise in border attacks.

Keep ReadingShow less
Government announces funding for offshore wind supply chains

Energy secretary Ed Miliband reads a letter from Britain's King Charles III during the Future of Energy Security Summit at Lancaster House on April 24, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Government announces funding for offshore wind supply chains

THE government has announced an initial £300 million investment to strengthen domestic offshore wind supply chains ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review. The funding will be distributed through Great British Energy, the country's publicly-owned clean energy company.

Prime minister Keir Starmer on Thursday (24) said the investment aims to support jobs and help the UK reach clean power by 2030.

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-pahalgam-getty

'I say to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backer,' Modi said in his first speech since the incident.

Getty Images

Modi vows to hunt Kashmir attackers ‘to the ends of the Earth’

INDIA and Pakistan have exchanged a series of diplomatic measures after prime minister Narendra Modi blamed Pakistan for a deadly shooting in Pahalgam, Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed.

Modi said India would identify and punish those behind the attack and accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Trump also announced an initiative on historically black colleges and universities and signed orders on AI education and workforce development.

Getty Images

Trump signs orders targeting university diversity policies and accreditation

DONALD TRUMP signed a set of executive orders on Wednesday aimed at US universities, focusing on foreign donations, college accreditation, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

One order directs the federal government to enforce existing laws requiring universities to disclose large foreign gifts. Another addresses accreditation, which Trump has described as a “secret weapon.”

Keep ReadingShow less