China’s mega-dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo: How will it affect India? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 16, 2026 · 27 MIN

China’s mega-dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo: How will it affect India?

from In Focus by The Hindu · host The Hindu

China is building the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet. This river flows into Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang, and it is one of the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra in Assam. Further down, it becomes the Jamuna river in Bangladesh. This dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo is a trans-boundary project that would have an impact on downstream countries. China, however, has claimed that the dam’s unique design will ensure that there is no adverse impact on lower riparian countries. How valid are China’s claims? Will the waters be diverted? Will it cause flooding in India? How will this project affect the Brahmaputra, one of the last, great free-flowing rivers in the world? And more broadly, what could be the impact on India’s North East? Guest: Samrat Choudhury, Journalist and Author Host: G Sampath Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China is building the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet. This river flows into Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang, and it is one of the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra in Assam. Further down, it becomes the Jamuna river in Bangladesh. This dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo is a trans-boundary project that would have an impact on downstream countries. China, however, has claimed that the dam’s unique design will ensure that there is no adverse impact on lower riparian countries. How valid are China’s claims? Will the waters be diverted? Will it cause flooding in India? How will this project affect the Brahmaputra, one of the last, great free-flowing rivers in the world? And more broadly, what could be the impact on India’s North East? Guest: Samrat Choudhury, Journalist and Author Host: G Sampath Shot, produced, and edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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China’s mega-dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo: How will it affect India?

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China is building the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet. This river flows into Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang, and it is one of the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra in Assam. Further down, it becomes the Jamuna...

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