China has approved the construction of the world’s largest dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, near the Indian border, a development that has triggered concerns in downstream countries, including India and Bangladesh. According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, the project will be built on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, as the Brahmaputra is known in Tibet.

The colossal infrastructure project, with an estimated cost exceeding one trillion yuan ($137 billion), will surpass all existing dams, including China’s Three Gorges Dam, currently the largest in the world. The dam is expected to generate vast amounts of hydroelectric power and contribute significantly to China’s energy goals.

However, the announcement has raised apprehensions among riparian nations. India, which shares the Brahmaputra’s waters, has expressed concerns about the project’s potential to disrupt river flows, impacting millions of people who rely on the river for agriculture and livelihood. Bangladesh, located downstream, could also face severe consequences, including water shortages and ecological disruptions.

China has previously assured India that its projects on the Brahmaputra are run-of-the-river schemes, which do not involve the diversion of water. However, the scale of this new project has amplified skepticism about its environmental and geopolitical implications.

Experts warn that such a large-scale dam could exacerbate water-sharing tensions in the region, urging for transparency and collaboration between China and the affected nations to mitigate risks. The project’s impact on the fragile Himalayan ecosystem also remains a critical concern.