India Stands Firm on Sino Brahmaputra Mega-Dam
India has strongly protested the proposed hydropower dam by China on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, which flows into India as the Brahmaputra. The hydropower dam will annually generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours and poses concerns over ecological and geopolitical risks.
India's Ministry of External Affairs said New Delhi wants maximum transparency over the proposed dam from Beijing and would take all necessary measures to protect its interests.
According to experts, the dam will facilitate China's ability to control the flow of the river, which will either flood or dry up the northeastern states of India.
India has upped its own hydropower projects in Arunachal Pradesh, valued at $1 billion, to assert its strategic advantage.
Such pressure is mounting internationally. The United States has come out in support of India's grievances. Diplomatic discussions are likely to touch on the implications of China's dam projects.
With infrastructure plans both the way, the need for cooperative management is only going to grow.
