China and India’s rival Himalayan megadams escalate geopolitical tensions, environmental risks, and displacement threats.

By James Griffiths | The Globe and Mail

On either side of a hotly contested border in the Himalayas, two giant dams are being planned that could reshape the region’s geography, ecology and geopolitics. In Tibet, China is barrelling ahead with plans to build the world’s largest hydropower plant on the Yarlung River. This has revived a long-standing desire by India to construct a dam lower down the river on its side of the disputed frontier, in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, where the waterway is known as the Siang. 

In Brief by Probe International

Both countries present their projects as efforts to modernize and support local communities, but they face resistance, particularly in India, where dissent is possible. Critics contend the dams serve the cause of geopolitical posturing more so than genuine hydropower initiatives, symbolizing territorial claims and legitimacy. [For more on this, see: A Case of “Extreme Nationalism”].

The construction of hydropower dams can disrupt natural river flows, flood surrounding areas, and raise concerns about water security and seismic vulnerability in a region prone to earthquakes. Tensions between India and China remain high, especially regarding Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims. Recent actions, such as China’s renaming of places in the contested region, have further strained relations.

In Tibet, protests against the dam are rare due to strict government controls, while in India, local opposition to the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) has been growing. The Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum has led protests against the project, accusing the government of neglecting environmental assessments and local concerns. Protesters demand that the government respect Indigenous rights and prioritize sustainable alternatives.

Experts suggest that India’s framing of the dam as a national security issue allows it to bypass local consultations and democratic processes, mirroring China’s approach in Tibet.

Read the full report at the publisher’s website here.