Flow control? China starts mega-dam project on Brahmaputra in Tibet; how will it impact India

China on Saturday started building a major dam on the Brahmaputra river in southeastern Tibet near border with India. Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the groundbreaking ceremony, news agency AFP reported citing local media.

The project was approved by Beijing in December and is being linked to China’s carbon neutrality targets and development goals in the Tibet region.

"The electricity generated will be primarily transmitted to other regions for consumption, while also meeting local power needs in Tibet," China’s official news agency Xinhua reported after the ceremony in Nyingchi, a region close to Arunachal Pradesh.

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The construction will involve five hydropower stations, with an estimated investment of 1.2 trillion yuan (around $167 billion), according to Xinhua.

Once completed, the dam is expected to generate more electricity than the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River, raising concerns in downstream countries, India and Bangladesh. Experts have said the project could affect the water flow and ecology of the Brahmaputra river system.

India had raised concerns about the project earlier this year. In January, the ministry of external affairs said, "China has been urged to ensure that the interests of the downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas."

China had responded saying the dam over the Yarlung Tsangpo ( the Tibetan name for Brahmaputra river) would not cause any “negative impact” downstream.

Also read: 'Dam over Brahmaputra won't impact water flows to India'. says China after New Delhi registers protest

Environmental groups have also flagged the impact of such large projects in the ecologically sensitive Tibetan plateau, warning that it could lead to irreversible changes in the region.