China Begins Mega dam Project| India’s Counter Strategy | Latest Update | Drishti IAS English

[00:00:00]Hello everyone, welcome back to the latest update series of Drishti IAS.

[00:00:03]This is Divya Kawatra. We meet again to discuss a new topic that is world's largest dam. That's right. World's largest dam is being created. First question, who is making that? Where is it being created?

[00:00:17]The second thing, why is it important?

[00:00:20]Well, it is world's largest dam, so naturally it is important.

[00:00:23]But, what other significance does it hold? And if it is world's largest dam, what would be its capacity?

[00:00:30]Would it cause any international struggles? Right?

[00:00:34]Will it have any impact on the water availability of the different parties that are attending to the same rivers where the dam is being created? On which river are we creating this? We'll answer all these questions in this session.

[00:00:46]Stay tuned till the end. So, let's find out what is this world's largest dam.

[00:00:51]All right? Okay.

[00:00:53]So, recently China has officially begun the construction of world's largest dam.

[00:00:59]That's right. We are creating China is creating the world's largest dam, that is a hydroelectric dam at that. They're creating this to create large-scale hydroelectricity. All right? So, hydroelectricity, why on the lower reaches of Yarlung Tsangpo? Yarlung Tsangpo, the name Yarlung Tsangpo, does that ring a bell?

[00:01:16]Yes?

[00:01:17]It's the name of Brahmaputra in Tibet, right? Brahmaputra in Tibet is called Yarlung Tsangpo. And does Brahmaputra come to India? Yes. Right? Yarlung Tsangpo comes to India and becomes Brahmaputra after Dihang and Dibang, if you know the entire structure.

[00:01:36]Right?

[00:01:37]A little bit this kind of path is there from Tibet where it's where it originates, it is called Yarlung Tsangpo.

[00:01:44]Right?

[00:01:44]After that, taking a hairpin turn, it enters India from Arunachal Pradesh where it it does you know, tributaries are meeting here, Dihang and Dibang. These tributaries that meet, then they ultimately form Brahmaputra coming to Assam.

[00:02:02]In Assam, it forms Brahmaputra. All right. And after that, it further goes to Bangladesh. It further goes to Bangladesh.

[00:02:13]Right?

[00:02:14]Yeah.

[00:02:15]Now, there Padma and Meghna are going to meet and further the steps happen. But throughout this journey, if at Yarlung Tsangpo, China is creating a dam, do you think that is going to impact India?

[00:02:27]Yes?

[00:02:28]Now, mind it, it is world's largest dam.

[00:02:32]World's largest dam. Not China's, not India's. World's largest dam that is being created on this river.

[00:02:38]And additionally, previously, the record of world's largest dam is still held by China. And that largest dam, the previous largest dam has also been created by China. And that was also made on Yarlung Tsangpo.

[00:02:57]At the same process, at the same line, Sorry. At the same flow, it has been created. Right? So, if this [clears throat] This was already had a largest dam, why another dam at the same point? Why another one? And how much of water could this river actually give for you to create so much of electricity?

[00:03:18]Right?

[00:03:20]Yeah.

[00:03:21]So, these are the questions that are rising and India has you know, great concerns regarding this. Water flow is a concern. And another concern is also there. We'll discuss about that. All right. But first, understand the project. First, understand the project.

[00:03:36]This is where the project is being done.

[00:03:37]Right?

[00:03:39]If you see the flow, Yarlung Tsangpo, taking a great bend, coming into India, flowing into Bangladesh. That's how it goes. Right? Now, here it has already Zangmu Dam.

[00:03:50]510 MW. A dam is already there, Zangmu Dam, 510 MW. China has already created there, and now China is creating another project that is Medog project that will also generate 60 GW of electricity, nearly triple that of Three Gorges Dam.

[00:04:09]The Three Gorges Dam that was world's biggest world's biggest dam already in the central China.

[00:04:16]Already in the central China, they have already created that. And on this particular route also, they already have a dam that is Zangmu Dam, right? They already have a dam here. Then they also have what? Three Gorges Dam, the previously constructed Three Gorges Dam.

[00:04:30]You remember you must have heard these controversies like they were blaming that this has tilted Earth's axis. This is such a large dam that it has tilted Earth's axis. These were the kind of conceptions that were being built up here. And what kind of conceptions do you think this dam is going to bring? But still it is being constructed, and India has to do what?

[00:04:54]We actually have to build something up, stop this project, or take some step because this is going to harm us, right?

[00:05:03]How it will harm us, we'll find that out. But for now, just see that this is the river flow, Arunachal Pradesh. Siang River comes here. India will have to respond by India is responding by building a dam in the Arunachal Pradesh. All right.

[00:05:17]How will we do that? Let's see.

[00:05:19]First of all, what is China's move? It has been planning this, and the plan is at an astronomical 60,000 MW, right? Or 60 GW, obviously, right? And this is the largest hydroelectric project in the human history. It is three times the capacity of China's itself world's largest dam. So, the Three Gorges Dam, we'll compare this with that. We'll compare this with that, but it is larger than that, and three times larger than that, not just minutely larger, three times larger than that. Right? So, what are they trying to do? It is uh it's it's right at the great bend. Where do they want to create this? This is the great bend and here here this is the location.

[00:06:02]Right at the entry point of India, they are creating this and the position itself gives India a lot of problems.

[00:06:09]Right?

[00:06:11]Exactly. So, now uh it's it has obviously given India a project.

[00:06:17]India has also attempted a fast-track project of 11,000 MW, that is some Theang Upper Multipurpose Project. We are also doing that. It is less about producing electricity obviously because uh it is more about strategic water management. What will happen here?

[00:06:34]Two things can happen. Right? Two things can happen. Number one, water availability can go low.

[00:06:44]Right? And the other thing that can happen is sudden rush of water.

[00:06:51]Sudden rush of water. Right? If that sudden rush of water starts if that sudden rush of water starts, water if it is stopped that is fine. We understand that. Water availability will be low. We will have to face drought-like situations. Okay.

[00:07:08]But the major concern is sudden release of water. If the dam has such high capacity, it will be able to capture a large amount of water.

[00:07:16]And suddenly if they open all the gates of the dam, suddenly there will be an influx of water in Northeast India that we might not be able to handle because you know in a in the year of good monsoon, I won't say in the year of monsoon because you know we have El Nino now, but in the year of good monsoon, we know that Brahmaputra and other rivers in Assam etc. already start flooding.

[00:07:40]Right? When they have good uh you know, rain-fed water, they obviously start flooding, right? The basins are very small. The basins are not that large, not that deep to handle that. Now, imagine once they pull up all the gates all together and they give an influx of the water all together, imagine what would happen. What kind of flood-like situation would we have?

[00:08:04]We would have that, right? And if we do, wouldn't that bring large-scale discussion and destruction in the entire northeast region?

[00:08:13]Right? The entire path of Brahmaputra will become flooded, destroying large-scale areas.

[00:08:20]Yes.

[00:08:22]Exactly.

[00:08:23]That is a major concern. The lack of availability of water is a concern. It will always be a concern whenever there's a dam constructed, right? But in case of China, in case of this border, in case of the conditions of northeast, the in rush of water, the influx of water is a more important concern here, right?

[00:08:45]And that's why we need to create a dam not just to store excess water so that we have availability of water when they don't give us water, but also to have a capacity of holding some of the water that they might release and stop that influx.

[00:09:02]Right?

[00:09:03]That is a major step. So, we are also countering their project and in the counter we have come up with this Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.

[00:09:12]All right. Why are we rushing to this?

[00:09:15]Obviously, because artificial droughts can be you know, created by China in the regions of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh that will affect our agriculture and flash flooding, that is water weaponization. If they experience extreme rainfall, they'll open the floodgates and all the water will come into India and everybody, you know, everybody thinks that, "Okay, if it comes to India, we'll release it to Bangladesh.

[00:09:38]Right? Everybody thinks that if it comes to India, we will release it to Bangladesh and will let it flow into the Bay of Bengal. Why to have a flooding? Just open all the processes and let it flow into the Bay of Bengal. We won't have a flood.

[00:09:52]But see, China is very smart. What China has done is in Bangladesh, Bangladesh also has a hydroelectric project. Do you know that?

[00:10:01]Yes.

[00:10:02]They didn't have the capacity to build it. They didn't have the money to build it. They didn't have any resources to build it, but they have a multi-purpose project, hydroelectric project at the point where Brahmaputra enters Bangladesh.

[00:10:15]Coincidence?

[00:10:17]No.

[00:10:18]Let's take a look at the map. Right here, when it enters Bangladesh, when it crosses here, at this point, what they've done, they've already had what?

[00:10:29]After we we are crossing, let's like let's just say after we cross here in Bangladesh, right at this point, there is a hydroelectric dam.

[00:10:41]A large-scale hydroelectric dam.

[00:10:43]Did Bangladesh have the capacity to make it? No.

[00:10:46]Want to guess who funded this?

[00:10:49]Would you like to guess who funded this then if Bangladesh didn't have the capacity?

[00:10:54]China funded this. Very good. China funded this and now China has created a dam here giving a protection skill to Bangladesh and giving no escape to India.

[00:11:04]If Bangladesh decides to stop the floodgates of that dam, the water through the river won't be able to go to Bay of Bengal.

[00:11:13]We will have to choose another stream or deflect the water, which on the spot is not possible. Right? So, naturally, we won't have any sense of security while Bangladesh will stop the floodgates and that way the entire northeast will keep flooding in and cause large-scale destruction.

[00:11:32]Then, at that point, who do you think everybody will blame?

[00:11:38]The government.

[00:11:39]Right? I'm not taking side of the government, but all I'm saying is at that point, if you start blaming the Indian government, naturally, when China wants to take over Northeast, China's rescue, China's operations in the Northeast is obviously going to tilt people towards China.

[00:11:58]That's what China wants, that not just land, we should have control over people also, and people should want to join China, they should want to move towards China, they should have more trust in China than they have in India.

[00:12:12]Right? So, this is both wartime diplomacy and also soft diplomacy in a manner that Northeast be convinced that China is always a better option.

[00:12:24]Yeah?

[00:12:26]It is It is just concern causing on so many levels that completely hijacks our security, completely hijacks our security. So, naturally, India had to respond, and in that response, India has also given a project that we'll also be creating a project, right? So, that's why India is rushing towards this because they're weaponizing this on so many levels, on so many levels. Just imagine Bangladesh won't open the floodgates. China will drop open the floodgates. There will be flooding in Northeast. From here, Pakistan attacks at the same time. China has Indian presence in the Indian Ocean through String of Pearls. They also come and attack. Just imagine what would happen.

[00:13:09]Just imagine what would happen, right?

[00:13:12]So, it is not just about the project, it is not just about the water. It raises concerns over the mere security of India from all aspects, from all aspects.

[00:13:22]Right?

[00:13:24]The integrity of India, yes, it is a concern raising a concern towards that.

[00:13:28]The security of India, it is raising a concern towards that. Water availability, again a concern.

[00:13:34]Floods, again a concern. Security of people, again a concern. Natural disasters, again a concern, but it won't be natural. The point is it won't be natural.

[00:13:43]Right? So, we really need to pay attention to this and need to come up with something very quickly because this is going to a very next level and we cannot wait. We cannot afford to wait more importantly. Yeah?

[00:13:56]Exactly.

[00:13:58]But why are we not able to do this? Why is there an implementation gap?

[00:14:02]Because if we say that if you see the difference between China's upstream project and India's counter project, what is happening is if you see the official name Medog Hydro Power Station and Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. Yeah? So, location Medog country Tibet, 50 km from Indian border, just 50 km from Indian border.

[00:14:22]And in India, Upper Siang, Arunachal Pradesh. River's name Yarlung Tsangpo, we are creating it on Siang. Siang is just the upper course of Brahmaputra.

[00:14:29]That is also Tsangpo. Yes? Yeah.

[00:14:33]Primary operator pri- Power Construction Corporations of China and India National Hydroelectric Power Corporation. The cost they are putting in $137 billion to $168 billion and what India is projecting is just $13 billion.

[00:14:48]Just $13 billion.

[00:14:50]See, that is where we lack. We're not able to put more in our infrastructure.

[00:14:55]We're not able to do that. We don't have that kind of investment the kind China is putting in. And if you don't have that, you see the difference and you also see the difference in the capacity of both of these because if you see the power capacity, it has 60,000 MW and ours will only be 11,000 MW.

[00:15:11]Even though it is 11,000 MW, it is still the largest plan in the Southeast Asia.

[00:15:17]Right? It is still the largest plan in South Asia even though it is 11,000. so just imagine what 60,000 MW project can do. It is not about the energy 60,000 MW, it is about having the capacity.

[00:15:31]Sorry. If a dam has 60,000 MW capacity, imagine the size, imagine the water holding capacity, and if it has such large water holding capacity, imagine the destruction it can bring.

[00:15:43]Yeah?

[00:15:44]Exactly. In other words, water storage capacity, it has minimal storage footprint, primarily it will use heavy flow velocity, and in uh the Indian one it has 9 billion cubic meters to have active storage, right? The core strategic goal that that uh they've given is we want to generate clean energy and uh have our hydro hegemony here in the cross river system. Ours is just strategic questioning because we want to protect ourselves, right?

[00:16:11]Timeline, they will uh it is under construction, it will break the ground.

[00:16:15]Uh started in uh July 25, it will be completed by 2033. They said they're starting in 2025, but there were many allegations and many uh processes by which we were trying to stop that project. We're not successful. We were not successful in stopping that project, so now officially the construction has begun. Yeah? Then we have pre-construction uh sites. This is still working in the feasibility, local tribal areas, we're still trying to get their uh permission, but the fact is that creating something in northeast, a project, such a large project would require a lot of work, a lot of work taking tribals' uh approval, getting the process done, environmental clearance, large-scale structures, right?

[00:17:01]Other things government can still handle, but then the tribal support that becomes difficult, right?

[00:17:09]Yeah. So, gaining that, that is where we are stuck right now. What are the primary hurdles? They have their seismic volatility, like plate conflicts are there. And other than that, in India, we have domestic opposition by the indigenous people, and that is what we would have to overcome, right?

[00:17:26]So, that is a large-scale project that is being built by China.

[00:17:29]There was another project built by China earlier that was also world's largest dam, right? And this one is three times of that. This The capacity of the new project is three times of that. Let's find out a little about that project, also. It was called the Three Gorges Dam.

[00:17:46]Uh 22,500 MW energy. The new Medog project is 60,000, three times larger.

[00:17:52]Engineering type traditional reservoir dam. This is the run-of-the-river cascade, right? It has a cascading effect. Multiple small small small small dams will be interconnected, and that will have a cascading effect. Like, if something happens to one, happens to all of them, right? The domino effect will be applicable here. It has a cascading structure. It'll generate power The older one generates power from the volume of the water that has been dropped. The new one relies on the altitude drop, yeah?

[00:18:20]The reservoir size, it is enormous. It flooded 1,000 plus square kilometers of land. Now, it is relatively smaller.

[00:18:28]Himalayan canyons are narrow, so it can hold a giant lake, but that's all. Okay?

[00:18:33]Geopolitical threat, fully domestic impact, no direct cross-border structure because this is in the central China, not on the border, central China. But, this one is on the border, so it has international flash point because it gives China direct control over the downstream countries like India and Bangladesh, right?

[00:18:52]So, that is why this new Medog project has become a large concern for us.

[00:18:57]What are we to do about that?

[00:18:59]We've come up with a counter project, but that won't be enough. We will have to do more. We will have to do more about it. We'll see what India does, but for now, this is all we are doing, yeah?

[00:19:11]I hope this is clear.

[00:19:13]Yes.

[00:19:14]The Medog project, that is world's largest dam being constructed by China.

[00:19:20]Yeah.

[00:19:21]All right.

[00:19:22]You have a question for you based on the same. A question for you. Just read the question, try to answer, give your answer in the comment section. All right.

[00:19:33]Okay. That's about it.

[00:19:37]Thank you so much for joining in. I hope this was clear. We'll see you again in the next session. Till then, take care.

[00:19:42]Thank you. Bye-bye.

[00:19:47]>> For more informative content, like, share, and subscribe. And do not forget to press the bell icon to get the notifications.