Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu has raised serious concerns over China’s massive dam project on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, warning that it poses a grave threat to the region’s ecology, security, and livelihoods.
In an interview, Khandu described the dam—set to be the world’s largest—as a potential “existential threat” for the people of Arunachal Pradesh, especially given the absence of any binding international water-sharing treaty with China.
“The issue is that China cannot be trusted. No one knows what they might do,” Khandu said, referring to the unpredictable nature of China’s actions concerning transboundary rivers.
He underscored that the water infrastructure project could even be weaponized. “Setting aside the military threat from China, it seems to me that this is a far bigger issue than anything else. It could become a ‘water bomb’ that threatens our tribal communities and their way of life,” he said.
The Yarlung Tsangpo, known as the Brahmaputra once it enters India, is a lifeline for millions in the Northeast. Experts and environmentalists have long expressed concern about upstream activities by China, especially large-scale diversion or damming, which could significantly affect downstream flow, ecology, and disaster preparedness.
Khandu’s remarks add urgency to calls for diplomatic engagement and regional safeguards in managing shared rivers.
