New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has raised serious concerns over China’s construction of the world’s largest dam near the India-China border, calling it a potential “water bomb” for India. He warned that the project poses a threat greater than even military aggression. Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, Khandu pointed out that the dam, being constructed on the Yarlung Tsangpo River (known as the Brahmaputra in India), is a major threat to India’s northeastern regions.

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“China is not a signatory to any international water-sharing treaty. If it were, it would have been bound by global norms. But right now, no one can predict what China might do. It cannot be trusted,” said the Chief Minister.

He further stated, “Setting aside the military threat, this dam project is of much greater concern. It poses an existential risk to the tribal communities and the entire ecosystem of our region. China could potentially weaponize water this is like a ticking ‘water bomb’.”

The Yarlung Tsangpo hydropower project was first announced in 2021 following a visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to the region. In 2024, China reportedly approved the massive $137 billion project which is expected to span five years and generate 60,000 MW of electricity making it the world’s largest hydropower dam. Indian officials and environmentalists have expressed alarm at the lack of transparency and the potential environmental, geopolitical, and humanitarian consequences this project might unleash in the coming years.