Spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said on 3 January 2025 during a press briefing that India has reiterated its concern over China’s mega hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The Yarlung Tsangpo River is known as Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam.

“As a lower riparian state with established user rights to the waters of the river, we have consistently expressed, through expert-level as well as diplomatic channels, our views and concerns to the Chinese side over mega projects on rivers in their territory,” Jaiswal said. He added that these concerns along with the need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries have been reiterated.

The MEA Spokesperson also stated that India has urged China “to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas.” We will continue to monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests, he added.

On 25 December 2024, China approved the construction of a mega hydropower project that will generate three times more energy than the current largest dam in the world – the Three Gorges dam, also in China.