India responds to China's dam construction announcement near border area: "We will build dams too"

"Building a 10GW Dam on the Brahmaputra River"
Concerns Over China's Water Operations Including Water Scarcity and Flood Control

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Indian government’s announcement to build a large-scale dam on the Brahmaputra River, which borders China, has intensified the water conflict between China and India. The Indian government reportedly made this announcement in response to China’s prior declaration of constructing a dam in the area, fearing that China might engage in water warfare tactics such as water resource depletion or difficulties in flood control.

According to AP News and major foreign media on the 1st (local time), the Indian government revealed plans to build a 10GW-scale dam on the Brahmaputra River in Arunachal Pradesh, a region bordering China. This move is understood to be a strategic response to China’s recent announcement of a 60GW hydropower plant construction plan on the Brahmaputra River. Earlier, the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Yan Ziyong, chairman of China Power Construction Group, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, disclosed plans last month on the 26th to build a large-scale dam in the area. In terms of power generation capacity alone, this is nearly three times the size of China’s Three Gorges Dam, known as the world’s largest dam.

The Brahmaputra River, approximately 4,700 km long, originates from the Himalayas and flows through Tibet in China, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India, and finally into the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh. The Indian government is reportedly concerned that after China builds the dam, it may control the river flow into India, potentially causing water resource depletion or sudden releases during floods, making water level control difficult as part of water warfare tactics.

The Indian government plans to construct a massive dam with a large reservoir capacity sufficient to offset the impact of China’s dam project. However, since India’s dam will be built downstream of China’s upstream dam, it is expected to manage sudden increases in water flow during the rainy season, but it will be difficult to resolve issues related to reduced water resources caused by China restricting the flow.

India and China previously fought a war in 1962 over border demarcation issues and have since faced off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) without finalizing the border. This year, tensions have significantly escalated in the border region due to a series of local clashes between the two countries’ forces, including violent incidents at Pangong Lake in May and the Galwan Valley in June.