Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has expressed serious concern over China’s construction of the world’s largest dam project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, known as the Brahmaputra in India. Speaking to PTI, he described the dam as a potential “ticking water bomb” that could pose an existential threat to the region, especially since China is not a signatory to any international water-sharing agreements that would require adherence to global norms.
Khandu emphasized that, beyond the existing military tensions, the water-related risks from the dam project represent a more significant challenge. He warned that China’s control over the dam could enable it to suddenly release water, which would have devastating consequences for the Siang belt, including the displacement and destruction of property belonging to indigenous communities such as the Adi tribe.
The Chief Minister further noted that if China were part of international water treaties, the dam could actually be beneficial by helping to regulate summer floods in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Bangladesh. However, since China is not bound by such agreements, the project remains a critical concern, with potentially severe impacts on livelihoods and human life in the region.
