Arunachal MP warns of ‘water bomb’ threat as China pushes ahead with mega dam on Yarlung Tsangpo

China's construction of the proposed 60,000 MW "Great Bend Dam" on the Yarlung Tsangpo River has triggered sharp warnings from Tapir Gao, who says the project could unleash catastrophic consequences across the Northeast, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and even Bangladesh.

Speaking at an international seminar in Guwahati on Tuesday, Gao, a BJP MP from Arunachal Pradesh, said the dam threatens to drastically reduce the Brahmaputra River’s flow, triggering water scarcity, ecological imbalance, and serious humanitarian fallout downstream.

“I had said that we should not consider them only to generate water or power generation. It is a water bomb,” Gao said, recalling a 2000 incident when a sudden release of water from China caused major flooding in the Siang River, resulting in the loss of lives, livestock, and land.

According to Gao, construction has already begun on a 9.5-kilometre-long dam as part of China’s broader water diversion strategy aimed at redirecting water from Tibet to the Yellow River. He noted that the project, located in a highly seismic and ecologically fragile region, poses long-term threats to both the environment and millions living downstream.

"China has no water-sharing agreement with India. That’s a major setback for us in preventing such unilateral decisions. If the Brahmaputra dries up or floods unpredictably, the impact will be severe—from water scarcity to destruction of aquatic life,” he said.

Gao urged the Indian government to take the issue to international forums, stressing that diplomatic pressure is crucial to check China’s plans. He expressed confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing diplomatic efforts, noting that both border disputes and water-sharing concerns with China are being addressed. However, he also warned that failure to secure agreements could result in irreversible damage.

“Building a dam on the Siang River is essential if we are to protect ourselves from future devastation. Public consultations are already underway, but time is running out,” he added.

The Guwahati seminar, hosted by Northeast think tank Asian Confluence, brought together experts and stakeholders to discuss the long-term risks of the Chinese mega-dam. Panelists highlighted how the dam could disrupt the natural flow of the Brahmaputra—originating from Tibet and flowing through India into Bangladesh—making the entire basin more vulnerable to floods, droughts, and seismic risks.

Experts noted that the Brahmaputra is one of the world’s largest rivers by discharge, fed by snow and glacial melt. Its steep gradient entering India makes it naturally prone to flooding, and any artificial interference from upstream could amplify the region’s vulnerability.

The $137 billion Chinese project is also raising alarms over its ecological footprint. Researchers have warned that building the dam in the earthquake-prone Namcha Barwa region would require drilling 420 km of tunnels, increasing the risk of landslides, habitat loss, and displacement of communities.

While China maintains the project aligns with its clean energy goals and plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060, environmental groups and regional leaders remain skeptical. The lack of transparency, the absence of a water-sharing mechanism, and China's track record of sudden water releases are fueling regional tensions.